I am writing this note to the editor and readers of SLEN in reply to the notice appeared in almost every SLEN paper on the call for active participation of members in IESL activities.

I think this is the right time to brainstorm on the idea of reaching out to districts in order to get the intense participation of IESL members who are residing and (or) working in distance places from Colombo. It is also necessary for IESL to come up with a plan to make the IESL services accessible and reachable to all its members who are far from Colombo and in districts. We have heard about IESL chapter in Australia, Wayamba etc… Which I believe is active to date. I am sure it had gone to the places where there are committed members who want to establish IESL chapter in their places and to actively participating it. So we need to explore the same possibilities in other places.

This leads me to think of an IESL node in Ampara district from where I come from and where I think adequate mass of Engineers are currently working as in other districts. I don’t have exact figures “who works where” in Ampara district but I definitely know there are our colleagues committed who are willing to spend their time on networking and sharing activities such as happening in IESL Colombo and in other chapters.

Hence, I would like to leave the floor open from this point onwards to initiate a discussion by the fellow members and to brainstorm on ideas as to how we can move further if there is an interest in my suggestions.

I would be happy to facilitate an online mail exchange if that is acceptable, which is the only feasible option I have at the moment (While welcoming any alternative ideas), in order to track and locate Engineers based in districts (I can support for Ampara district) so that the idea can contour into a real map and will help us to share our initial thoughts.

The discussion also can be enriched with sharing experiences of other chapters and Engineers who have involved in these kinds of initiatives in the past.