Project Sobadhara – Phase 01

 

 

Project Sobadhara – Phase 01

By LEO Club of University of Colombo

December 18 , 2025

Project Sobadhara

Jeewaya Dena Mihithalayata Adarayen

Phase 01 Mihirali

The Leo Club of University of Colombo successfully conducted phase 01 Mihirali of its environmental conservation project “Sobadhara” at Hikkaduwa beach on 18^th December, 2025. This phase marked the environmental awareness and sustainability. Due to pollution and improper waste disposal Sri Lanka’s costal environment has faced to a serious threat. Hikkaduwa beach is recognized for its rich marine diversity, especially sea turtles and need proper care and protection. The area we chose is close to a harbor, so the damage to the sea was high, which was also a reason for us to choose that area. As University of Colombo Leos we wanted to take the responsibility of protecting the marine environment through this project.

The phase one “Mihirali” commenced with a beach clean up activity, which improved the cleanliness and raised awareness among the public on responsible waste disposal and environmental protection. Then our preliminary part of the phase began with an underwater cleaning activity conducted by professional divers of Society of Oceanography and Marine Geology, University of Ruhuna. After that we moved to the Sea Turtle Hatchery and Rescue Center where we cleaned and painted the turtle tanks. Our project members were involved in feeding turtles to emphasize the importance of protecting endangered marine species. The formal segment of the programme began with an awareness session.

That was conducted by Mr. C.P.Payagala (The president of Society of Oceanography and Marine Geology, University of Ruhuna), who shared valuable insights on marine eco-systems, coastal conversion and long-term impact of human activities on ocean environment. The participants’ understanding about the environmental responsibility has significantly enhanced through this.

We gained hands on experience in environment conversion and teamwork as the members of this project. Also the leadership, communication and organizing skills were improved. This mainly helped the society to develop strong sense of responsibility towards protecting nature while creating a major impact to the environment by reducing pollution and protecting marine life. That increased the public awareness about environmental protection and responsible waste disposal. Eventually, in working together that created a positive impact on both personal achievements and environmental sustainability.