112 Miss World Contestants are in Durban today for Beach Beauty mini pageant. Among them there is a special candidate this year who has raised over three-million US dollars and worked 10 years as a community worker.
Miss Sri Lanka 2009, Gamya Wijayadasa, began her journey of volunteerism and social service at the age of 13. She started as a volunteer journalist and ventured in to many avenues of social service where she contributed to major community projects much before the Title of Miss Sri Lanka was bestowed upon her.
Her desire to give back to the community is demonstrated by the number of community work projects she has been involved in to help people in need in her country and outside of her country.
In the year 2009, the scope and depth of Gamya’s community work grew substantially. The Laser Vision Eye sight Project to restore sight of people suffering from cataracts raised over US$11 000.
She also formed the ‘Australian Sri Lankan Youth’ a non profit organisation to serve Sri Lanka and Sri Lankans. She foresaw the opportunity to collaborate the strength of the Australian Sri Lankan youth for the betterment of the country.
Gamya was instrumental in conducting the IDP welfare appeal which raised US$7 400 and $5 000 worth of goods to help the people displaced by war in Northern Sri Lanka in the final stages of the three-decade long war in Sri Lanka. Urgent medicines were distributed to Vavuniya base hospital. Also conducted a car wash to create drinking water facilities for the IDPs.
Gamya Wijayadasa says, “ I’ve achieved things I thought were impossible through hard work, sheer determination and infinite compassion for others. Having a purpose to my being has been a way of life for me even before I knew what beauty was. Education has been the biggest source of power behind me being able reach beyond the visible horizons and making the impossible in to a reality."