K B Buddhika Sampath Darshana

Buddhika Sampath have been involved with the Kothmale Community Radio (Sri Lanka) and Multimedia Center since 1999. When Buddhika first visited this UNESCO-supported project in 1999 he had never used a computer but by the end of 2001 he was a Computer Trainer teaching other young people to create publications, edit audio recordings, develop websites and small animations. he left the Kothmale Project for higher studies and to work as an independent web developer. In 2005-06 he again returned to work on the e-tuk tuk project which took digital media to poor, rural villages in the central tea region of Sri Lanka. In 2008-09 Buddhika worked as a Content Officer for the “Nanasala” internet project which was part of a national government World-Bank funded internet initiative which looked at how poverty and exclusion could be addressed through Radio and newer media such as Digital Stories and Podcasting, etc. He specialise now in conducting Digital Story telling Workshops and have delivered more than 20 workshop in the past four years. He promote Digital stories as a way to give a voice to young people and to marginalised communities in Sri Lanka. He believe that it remains very hard for young people to be heard in Sri Lanka society but that the internet is in some ways opening up the possibilities. Through digital storytelling and other digital media formats young people can express their feelings, beliefs, fears, and experiences. But it now just technology that matters: opportunity, training, skills, process and content are critical.

Buddhika worked with Information and Communication Technology Agency of Sri Lanka (ICTA) as Telecenter Content officer for six districts in the central region of Sri Lanka by guiding the telecentre operators in creating local digital media content. At the same time he have recently been involved with a development project coordinated by the NGO, Plan Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka Journalism Forum (LDJF) which has involved giving content development (Digital Story Telling) Training for school children in tsunami affected areas in the southern Sri Lanka. I have delivered workshops to a number of NGOs to provide them with skills as digital storytelling trainers. He also working with the independent media Tel radio project as a content officer & trainer. Buddhika currently worked with National Chamber of Commerce of sri Lanka as Web Master. He hope to use this platform to allow rural voices to be heard across the nation to support human rights and peace movements.