HI EVERYONE
GIVE A PENCIL PROJECT – GAPP
MY NAME IS RAAJIV “DYIYA” WANIGASEKERA. I AM THE FOUNDER OF GIVE A PENCIL
PROJECT (GAPP) INITIATIVE.
MY BACK GROUND -I WAS EDUCATED AT S. THOMAS’ COLLEGE MT. LAVINIA. I SERVED IN THE
SRI LANKA ARMY AND RETIRED AS A MAJOR OWING TO INJURIES SUSTAINED IN COMBAT. I
AM A GRADUATE FROM THE PAKISTAN ARMY. I SERVED WITH THE ELITE TANK REGIMENT
AND WAS ALSO ATTACHED TO THE SPECIAL FORCES. HAVING LEFT THE ARMY I HAVE
WORKED AT BRANDIX AS GROUP HEAD OF COMMUNICATION AND AT UNITED MOTORS / TVS
HEADING HR & ADMINISTRATION. PRESENTLY I WORK AN OUTDOOR TRAINER WORKING IN
THE REGION WITH TOP CORPORATES/ MULTI NATIONALS / SCHOOLS & UNIVERSTIES OTHER
ENTITIES
MY LIFESTYLE -I AM AN OUTDOOR BUFF AND I ENGAGE IN MANY OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES
SUCH AS KAYAKING, HIKING, CAMPING, MOUNTAIN BIKING, ABSEILING ETC. MY WORK AND
LIFE STYLE ALWAYS HAD ME TRAVELLING TO MANY BEAUTIFUL AND REMOTE PLACES IN SRI
LANKA.
WHAT INSPIRED ME -ON SUCH TRAVEL I CONSTANTLY MEET CHILDREN OF VARIOUS AGES
WHOM I TREAT TO WITH SWEETS, SOMETIMES WITH THEIR SCHOOL SUPPLIES AND EVEN
FOOD ITEMS. SOMETIMES I PONDER AS TO HOW UNFAIR LIFE IS WHEN I SEE CHILDREN WHO
DON’T GO TO SCHOOL AND WHO DOESN’T HAVE AN EDUCATION OWING TO THEIR FAMILY’S
STATUS AND WHAT I CAN DO TO MAKE A CHANGE….
THAT EUREKA MOMENT -ONE DAY WHEN I WAS AT A WORK SHOP, A THOUGHT CAME TO
MY MIND WHEN I WAS FIDGETING AROUND WITH A PENCIL. I REALISED THAT I HAD SO
MANY PENCILS AND HOW ONE PENCIL CAN CHANGE A LIFE. I THOUGHT OF GIVING AWAY
SOME TO THE CHILDREN I RANDOM MEET DURING MY TRAVELS. EUREKA! THE GAPP
PROJECT WAS THUS BORN.
HOW I SET ABOUT IT – SO I COLLECTED ALL THE PENCILS FROM THAT SEMINAR, SPOKE TO
FAMILY AND FRIENDS, SET UP A FACEBOOK PAGE AND STARTED COLLECTING PENCILS.
OVERNIGHT I WAS BOMBARDED WITH SO MANY PENCILS. PEOPLE GAVE ME NEW PENCILS
AND USED PENCILS. SOME ADDED ERASERS AND SHARPENERS AND COLOURED PENCILS TOO.
CHILDREN WHO CAME TO KNOW ABOUT THE PROJECT HAPPILY GAVE AWAY THEIR
COLLECTION OF NEW AND USED PENCILS AS WELL.
THERE YOU GO…. THAT’S THE HISTORY OF GIVE A PENCIL PROJECT.
GIVE A PENCIL PROJECT
THE MOTIVE BEHIND GAPP – I ADDED THE BELOW AS THE MAIN FOCUS AREAS AND HOW IT
WILL HELP A CHILD AND INTURN THE COMMUNITY AND THE COUNTRY
BY GETTING PEOPLE TO WRITE
TO BE CREATIVE – ART / POETRY
LIMIT POLLUTION BY WAY OF REDUCING THE USE OF PLASTIC PENS
COLLECTION METHODOLOGY – COLLECTION OF PENCILS HAPPENS THROUGH A FEW
COLLECTION POINTS SET UP WITH SOME FRIENDS IN THEIR OFFICES. SOME DIRECTLY SEND
ME TO MY RESIDENCE. WE HAVE HAD STALL SET UP AT FAIRS / CARNIVALS AND POP-UP
STALLS AND SOME CHARITY EVENTS TOO
THE GIVE AWAY INVENTORY – TO DATE MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS HAVE COLLECTED AND I
HAVE DISTRIBUTED PENCILS, COLOURED PENCILS, ERASERS AND SHARPENERS TO CHILDREN
ALL OVER THE COUNTRY. FURTHER, WE HAVE SENT PENCILS PACKS TO ORPHANAGES,
MONTESSORI’S AND PRESCHOOLS AS AND WHEN REQUESTED BY FRIENDS AND
ORGANIZATIONS
THE NUMBERS DESTRIBUTED AS OF 15 DEC 2023 ARE AS BELOW
LEAD PENCILS – 16,450 NOS – AVERAGE OF 3 PENCILS PER CHILD
COLOUR PENCIL (6 PACK) – 2125 NOS
COLOUR PENCILS (12 PACK) – 1515 NOS
ERASERS – 3233 NOS
SHARPENERS – 2450 NOS
WE HAVE GIVEN AWAY IN BULK THE USED PENCILS TO PRESCHOOLS AND MONTESSORI’S
AND HAVE NOT KEPT TRACK OF THE NUMBERS BUT IT’S DEFINITELY OVER 7000 PENCILS AND
COLOUR PENCILS
INVENTORY IN HAND – AT ANY GIVEN MOMENT MY VEHICLE CARRIES PENCIL PACKS FOR 50
CHILDREN. THE STOCK IN HAND AS OF 15 DEC 2023 IS
LEAD PENCILS – 6410 NOS
COLOUR PENCIL (6 PACK) – 54 NOS
COLOUR PENCILS (12 PACK) – 128 NOS
ERASERS – 160 NOS
SHARPENERS – 160 NOS
THE BACK BONE OF THE PROJECT – THIS PROJECT IS KEPT ALIVE FROM THE CONTRIBUTIONS
MADE BY FAMILY, FRIENDS AND THOSE WHO HAVE HEARD OF GAPP THROUGH SOCIAL
MEDIA AND OTHERS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD. SOME PROJECTS HAVE BEEN CAPTURED
ON STILL AND VIDEOS AND SOME, THE DONORS WHO SPONSORED THE SPECIFIC
CONTRIBUTION WISHED TO REMAIN ANONYMOUS.
HOW YOU CAN SUPPORT THIS INITIATIVE – YOU CAN JOIN THIS CAUSE BY CONTRIBUTING BY
SENDING US NEW OR USED PENCILS / COLOUR PENCILS / SHARPENERS AND ERASERS AND
PENCIL CASES
IN CASE YOU WISH TO MAKE A CASH CONTRIBUTION THE PRICE LIST IN LKR IS AS BELOW
LEAD PENCIL / ERASER / SHARPENER SET – LKR 55/- (A SPECIAL RATE OFFERED)
6 COLOUR PENCIL PACK – LKR 180/-
12 COLOUR PENCIL PACK – LKR 340/-
PENCIL CASE – LKR 90/-
CONTACT DETAILS -DO CONTACT ME ON +94 770 778855 OR +94 717 778855 / EMAIL –
raajiv@adventure.lk FOR MORE DETAILS OR YOU MAY CONTACT ISHAN WHO IS BASED IN UK
(DETAILS BELOW) WHO HAS BEEN A SOURCE OF INSPIRATION AND A CONTINUOUS DONOR
TOWARDS THE GAPP INITIATIVE
ISHAN KARU
0044 7574512875
ishankaru@yahoo.co.uk
WISHING YOU LOVE, PEACE AND JOY DURING THIS CHRISTMAS SEASON
WARM REGARDS
RAAJIV “DYIYA” WANIGASEKERA
15 DEC 2023
FACEBOOK LINK – https://www.facebook.com/giveapencilproject?mibextid=zbwkwl
