Sri Sumangala College Old Boys' Association

The Old Boys' Association of Sri Sumangala College, Panadura (SSCOBA), was established on the 28th of October 1922. It was the then Principal, Mr. Abeyseela Ginige, who initiated the establishment of the SSCOBA.

The first student of the College, Mr. M. Walter Salgado donated the land where the New Building was built in 1942, and many Old Boys at the time had helped in numerous ways in the development of the College.

There were dedicated Old Boys, who, at numerous occasions tried to make a more active and stable OBA. By 1981, the OBA had drafted a more comprehensive Constitution, which was very necessary for the proper functioning of the Association. By 1982, the Membership increased at a steady pace. This increase in Membership was mainly due to the tireless efforts of several key members of OBA. In 1985, Mr. Wilson Kahandagamage was elected as its first Old Boy President by a Constitutional amendment.

With amendments to the OBA Constitution, a Colombo Branch was inaugurated in 1986 with Dr. Malinga Fernando as the President and, later, the Kandy Branch was established in 2001 with Dr. Ananda Gunasekara as the Founding President. Subsequently, the Sri Sumangala College Junior Old Boys' Association was established for the Old Boys under 30 years.

On the SSCOBA's 82nd year, it was able to have a permanent shelter with the generosity of Mr. M. Anurath Abeyratne a distinguished Old Boy at a cost of over Rs.1,500,000/- (USD 15,000.00) which includes an Office Space and an Auditorium for the use of SSCOBA.

At present, preliminary work is underway to establish SSCOBA branches in U.K., Australia and New Zealand.

With the formation of a number of Sub - Committees, the SSCOBA started many Projects to help the present-day student community and the College. As Government Funding is restricted, expenditure on extracurricular activities have to be supported by external sponsorship. Some of these projects are as follows;

* SCHOLARSHIP SCHEME, which caters to College students as well as needy University Students with an approx. cost of Rs. 80,000/- (USD 800.00) per annum.

* A series of 'DO YOU KNOW' CONTESTS from Grade 6 through 13 for the College students and an Inter-school Do You Know Contests for students in other schools in Kalutara District to direct them to search for extracurricular knowledge is funded by a number of regular subscriber Old Boys.

* HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE with SSCOBA activities on Mercy Missions to border villages in the north - east, the targets of several terrorist attacks.

* Further humanitarian assistance in 2003 to homeless families in Tantirimale, another border village in the north - west, a target of the terrorists, to build their lost homes. Special mention should be made on Mr. D.A. Perera, an Old Boy who donated Rs. 200,000.00 (USD 2,000.00) towards this Project.

* BLOOD DONATION CAMPAIGNS to enhance the blood supplies of the National Blood Bank.

* PRESENTATION OF BOOKS to the Library, COMPUTERS to the College, SPORTS GOODS for the development of sports and pastimes.

* INITIAL REHABILITATION WORKS of the Playground & a Drainage System across the Railway Line lying in front of the College premises at a cost of Rs. 1,800,000/- (USD 18,000.00).

* FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE for many extra curricular activities, sports, cadetting, scouting etc.

External links

* [http://www.sumangala.org.lk "Old Boys' Association"] of Sri Sumangala College
* [http://www.sumangalajunioroba.net "Junior Old Boys Association"] of Sri Sumangala College.