Our History of Success

Gamini Perera OAM (Founder President)

Founded SCATS after 1991 planning discussions. Emphasised technology advancement and social welfare, with an early focus on migrant support (computer literacy, job readiness), youth and seniors programs, and long-term technology transfer to Sri Lanka.

• Established foundational governance and committees; initiated early training and community support programs (1992).
• Initiated long-running core initiatives: scholarships (Sisu Saviya), computer training centres, welfare events, and multicultural festivals.

Dr Granville Dharmawardena

Highlighted continuity of education support (computer and VCE) and expansion through regional centres. This period marked a major expansion of physical footprints and public celebration footprint.

• SCATS Western regional centre established in Sunshine; job-ready program conducted.
• VCE revision and computer training continued; comprehensive VCE seminars delivered.
• Wesak Village 1994 held at Melbourne City Square through multi-organisation collaboration.

Bandula Jayasinghe

Reflected on the structural challenges of leading a diaspora community organisation and focused deeply on cultural and religious revival within the states.

• Led large-scale Wesak celebrations in Melbourne as a unifying cultural experience, complete with a pandal, dansela, devotional songs, lanterns, and city illumination.

Prof Priyantha Mendis

Positioned SCATS as unique in combining social, cultural, and technological objectives. Emphasised modern governance structures, volunteer frameworks, and broad programmatic outreach.

• Hosted vital small business and economic opportunity seminars; continued Japanese language and VCE classes.
• Initiated landmark cultural projects: Prathiba Prasanga and Rasa Kalasa, including collaborative musical workshops with W.D. Amaradeva.
• Launched support frameworks for Sri Lanka: Mushroom project, widespread book donations, and the establishment of the early SCATS web homepage (1995).

Dr Chakra Wijesundera

Recalled early emphasis on technology transfer and practical support systems, specifically gathering real physical hardware resources for developing communities.

• Collected used computers for Sri Lankan schools and organized academic journal/book consignments to Sri Lankan universities.
• Conducted informative workshops on early internet access and legal matters. SCATS celebrated its 5th year milestone on September 29, 1997.

Gamini Perera OAM (Re-elected)

• Continued active program delivery and robust fundraising through dedicated musical shows in aid of the ongoing computer and technology donation projects.

Bandu Dissanayake

Described historically as the year SCATS "spread its wings," focusing intensely on community infrastructure, physical spaces, and formalized senior tracking.

• Secured storage and logistics support for overseas donations; managed steady computer and music classes.
• Expanded youth operations and theatrical works via a shared community meeting space (Lanka House).
• Formed the **SCATS seniors welfare group (SEWA)** on April 4, 1999 (with the physical center opening Feb 14, 2000).

Wasantha Perera

Focused on planning "high value adding" programs for the new millennium, strategically transforming SCATS from a traditional small-scale community service model into a high-status institutional organization.

• Launched the landmark annual **Lady Ridgeway Hospital (LRH) Appeal** (Singithi Suwa Surekuma), running from 2000 to 2005 as a flagship health initiative.
• Utilized food fairs, film screenings, and stage plays as fund raisers to seed trust councils and equipment handovers.
• Extended the scholarship program for disadvantaged children in Sri Lanka to new beneficiary groups and elevated youth cultural projects to new heights.

Late Mrs Malini Jayasinghe

Led ongoing LRH fundraising drives and significantly expanded community membership with targeted membership engagement events.

• Launched the **SCATS International Resource Centre** at Bellanvilla, Sri Lanka (March 23) to manage localized coordination and computing.
• Organized the Millennium Bazaar, expanded foster care sponsorships, and hosted an international women's day seminar alongside active regional elderly programs.

Chandra Weerakoon

Emphasised highly integrated teamwork as SCATS' ultimate "secret behind success" during an intense year of rapid disaster response and educational benchmarks.

• Organized SCATS Nite (Feb 2003), seasonal food fairs, and dance workshops.
• Mobilized rapid fundraising for flood and landslide relief in June 2003.
• Relaunched the LRH appeal under the "Care for the Kids" banner and established the VCE seminar as a benchmark annual feature.

Rohana Karunaratne

Highlighted a distinctly collaborative governance style and prioritized high-quality fine art programs to engage the public sector.

• Launched the acclaimed "Rithma Rata" dance concert supported by the Victorian Multicultural Commission (VMC).
• Maintained standard VCE support seminars and hosted a community leader felicitation event alongside classic film screenings.

Lional Nawagamuwa

Central focus shifted to international humanitarian recovery following the Indian Ocean tsunami, managing the massive **Australia–Sri Lanka Friendship Village** housing project in the Hambantota district.

• Established a robust multi-organizational management board to supervise the design, tendering, and monitoring of housing delivery.
• Initiated the annual Short Drama Festival (Jan 2005) and VMC-sponsored cookery demonstrations.

Dr Senake Perera

Marked the 15th anniversary of SCATS, capitalizing on high community recognition to complete major infrastructure and deep cultural roots.

• Completed and officially opened the Friendship Village in Sri Lanka (Dec 2006).
• Revived Rasa Kalasa, organized the "Forever Young" youth concert, and staged a massive Daha Ata Sanniya ritual dance performance.
• Initiated the long-running **Sight First** cataract surgery sponsorship project (2007).

Mihirie Dissanayake

Coined "The Year of Super Stars," focusing heavily on maintaining rigid governance standards, revitalizing senior outreach, and orchestrating mega-scale public events.

• Finalized complex tsunami housing project financial components.
• Raised over $14,000 for the Sight First cataract project in direct partnership with Lions Clubs.
• Produced the massive "Sirasa Super Stars" production in Melbourne for children's hospital fundraising.

Upa Upadasa

Emphasised practical international donations targeting post-war displacement periods in Sri Lanka alongside extensive creative cinematic developments in Australia.

• Distributed critical textbook consignments to Sri Lankan universities and academic bodies through the National Library.
• Exceeded $10,000 in Sight First fundraising; stabilized the Short Drama Festival and created the inaugural **"In-Transit" Short Film Festival (2009)**.
• Hosted the Pranama Prasanga tribute concert, successfully funding a $20,000+ portable X-ray machine for a Sri Lankan pediatric ward.

Don Udawatte / Sunil Pushpasiri

A transition period focusing heavily on continuing foundational performance arts structures with high youth leadership integration.

• Following the passing of past president Mrs. Malini Jayasinghe, renamed and held the short drama festival as a memorial event.
• Raised more than $9,500 for cataract operations via an active dinner dance fundraiser.

Anjula Godakumbura

Led an incredibly ambitious 20th Anniversary calendar, executing massive logistics shipping tasks alongside active local community entertainment campaigns.

• Sourced, processed, and freighted decommissioned medical infrastructure (hospital beds, wheelchairs) to rural Sri Lankan medical centers.
• Hosted dynamic Western Seniors Hopper Nights to raise funds toward a dedicated community facility vision (**SCATS Nivasa**).
• Coordinated art, film, and tech competitions culminating in a major anniversary milestone gala on September 30, 2012.

Muthumal Perera

Reaffirmed SCATS' mature structural role (surpassing 21 years of service), locking down continuous support channels for arts, culture, technology transfer, and historical legacy projects.