The Centre for Environmental Studies and Sustainable Development (CESSD) of the Open University of Sri Lanka, in partnership with AIT Extension of Thailand, successfully executed the Exposure Visit Programme on the “Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) Sector in Sri Lanka” from June 30 to July 9, 2024, for senior officials from the Palli Karma-Sahayak Foundation (PKSF) of Bangladesh. Following the formal inauguration at the Senate House of OUSL in Colombo on July 1, the programme spanned key locations including Kandy, Dambulla, and Polonnaruwa. The intensive curriculum featured 15 expert-led sessions covering critical WASH strategies, policy, and implementation issues. These sessions were delivered by distinguished resource persons:
| Session | Resource Person | Affiliation |
| Session 1: Rural WASH Program by the Government and NGOs | Ms. Disna Ranasinghe | Ministry of Water Supply, Sri Lanka |
| Session 2: WASH Services in the Sustainable Development Goals | Dr. Nilusha Patabendi | WASH Specialist, UNICEF, Sri Lanka |
| Session 3: WASH Program: Related to the Utilization of Groundwater | Mr. Mahinda Prematilake | Former Assistant General Manager (Groundwater), National Water Supply & Drainage Board, Sri Lanka |
| Session 4: WASH Policy Development | Mr. Ranjith Weerasinghe | Former Executive Director, Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council, United Nations Office, Switzerland Senior Project Engineer: Policy Making, Asian Development Bank, Philippines |
| Session 5: Climate Change Adaptation and Sustainable WASH Programs | Mr. Sajjan Jayasiriwardene | Climate Resilient Water Supply Specialist, UNDP, Sri Lanka |
| Session 6: Low-cost WASH Technology and Wastewater Treatments (ABR System, Biogeo Filter System & Rainwater Harvesting) | Dr. P. N. Wikramanayake | Senior Lecturer, Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering Technology, The Open University of Sri Lanka (OUSL) |
| Dr. Thanuja Ariyananda | Chief Executive Officer, Lanka Rainwater Harvesting Forum (LRWHF), Sri Lanka | |
| Prof. B. C. L. Athapattu | Professor in Environmental Engineering, Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering Technology, The Open University of Sri Lanka (OUSL) Director, CESSD, The Open University of Sri Lanka (OUSL) | |
| Session 7: Drinking Water Treatment & Quality | Dr. S. K. Weragoda | Director, Joint Research and Demonstration Center for Water Technology (JRDC), Sri Lanka |
| Session 8: Behaviour Change Communication (BCC) Activities Regarding WASH Programs | Prof. Upul Senarath | Chair Professor of Community Medicine, Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo |
| Session 9: Climate Resilience; Water Safety Plan Implementation in Urban Areas | Eng. Anoja Kaluarachchi | Deputy General Manager, National Water Supply & Drainage Board, Sri Lanka |
| Session 10: WASH Market Development in Rural Areas | Mr. Viraj Dayaratne | Director, Aqua Care Engineering (Pvt) Ltd., Sri Lanka |
| Session 11: Food, Water Safety and Hygiene | Dr. Sujatha Pathirage | Consultant Clinical Microbiologist, Head: Food and Water Laboratory, Medical Research Institute of Sri Lanka (MRI) |
| Session 12: Social and Environmental Safeguard Issues in WASH Program Implementation | Ms. Dinithi Samaratunge | Program Officer, International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), Sri Lanka |
| Session 13: Gender Issues in WASH Program Implementation | Dr. Asanthi Balapitiya | Consultant Community Physician, Health Promotion Bureau, Sri Lanka |
| Session 14: Special Sanitary Arrangements and Hygiene Practices During Disasters | Dr. Nilusha Patabendi | WASH Specialist, UNICEF, Sri Lanka |
| Session 15: (i) Climate Change Adaptation and Sustainable WASH Programs; (ii) WASH Credit Program | Dr. Ananda Mallawatantri | Advisor – Government at Presidential Secretariat, Presidential Secretariat Office Former IUCN Country Representative in Sri Lanka Former UNDP Assistant Resident Representative in Sri Lanka |
| Exposure Visit to Sigiriya, Polonnaruwa Ancient City Complex, Elahera Diversion Site, Elahera Inter-basin Canal, Diyabeduma Diversion Site, Giritale Tank Site, Polonnaruwa Ancient City Complex, Parakrama Samudraya Site, Ancient Technology Museum, Minneriya Tank Site | Dr. G. M. C. P. Jayawardana | Senior Lecturer, Mathematics and Philosophy of Engineering, Faculty of Engineering Technology, The Open University of Sri Lanka (OUSL) |
| Dr. M. G. Y. L. Mahagamage | Senior Lecturer, Centre for Environmental Studies and Sustainable Development (CESSD), The Open University of Sri Lanka (OUSL) |
The closing ceremony of the Exposure Visit Programme on the Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) Sector in Sri Lanka was held on July 8, 2024, at Hotel Janaki, Colombo.
This event marked the successful conclusion of an intensive and enlightening programme that spanned over ten days, bringing together experts, practitioners, and senior officials from Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Thailand.
The certificates were awarded to all participants in recognition of their active participation and commitment to learning. Certificates were awarded by Prof. P.M.C. Thilakerathne, Vice-Chancellor of the Open University of Sri Lanka (OUSL), Dr. Md. Zakir Hossain, Course Director of the AIT Extension, Asian Institute of Technology, Director, Centre for Environmental Studies and Sustainable Development, OUSL. Further special souvenirs were presented to the programme organizing committee members as tokens of appreciation.
