‘Nenasala’ operator wins Global Telecenter Award in Spain

A rural ‘Nenasala’ operator from Sri Lanka bagged the best telecentre manager award at the recently concluded Global Telecenter Awards in Spain. Owner/Manager of the Suriyawewa Nenasala in Hambantota initiated by the ICT Agency of Sri Lanka (ICTA), Deepika Priyadharshanee won this prestigious award, beating 60 telecentre operators around the world.

Deepika marked her latest first when she won the award as the best telecentre manager at the Global Telecentre Awards (GTA) held in Granda, Spain on 29 May. Organised by Telecentre.org Foundation (TCF) and co-presented by the National Information Society Agency of Korea (NIA) and Microsoft Corporation, as a cynosure of ‘The Spark 13 conference’, the ceremony put a spotlight on nine winners.

“At a time when women entrepreneurs are much in demand for playing a substantial role in world development, especially among developing countries, Deeika Priyadarshani has set a valuable example,” ICTA Chairman Prof P.W. Epasinghe said.  

“The Nenasalas (wisdom outlets), the yields of a brainchild of President Mahinda Rajapaksa set the turning point in making the benefits of ICT reach a wider spectrum of people. The award that Deepika won proves that Sri Lankans are capable of great things, given proper guidance, as has been provided by ICTA under e-Sri Lanka,” the ICTA Chairman added.

Among the overwhelming responses received for GTA 2013 under its six categories, the telecentre manager category had received the highest number of entries. This was over 60. Deepika was awarded the best telecentre manager award. This was in recognition of her contribution in delivering the benefits of ICT to the community in Sooriyawewa and enhancing the quality of life of the people of her village.

The award was presented by the Managing Director of Telecentre.org Foundation Miguel Raimilla.

Accepting the award, Deepika thanked Telecentre.org Foundation for organising the first Global Telecentre Awards.  She thanked ICTA for giving her the opportunity to become a telecentre manager. She was also profusely thankful for ICTA for providing funding, guidance and support for setting-up a Nenasala in her village eight years ago.

 “This award is not only mine. This award will celebrate all the hard-working Nenasala managers and operators in my country,” Deepika told the audience at the world awards ceremony. The first Global Telecentre Awards aims to recognise the best of the best in the international telecentre stage in six specific categories – telecentre, telecentre manager, telecentre network, telecentre innovation, telecentre initiative and information access centre.