She stood at the university gate before dawn, adjusting her uniform in the half-light. Her own children were still asleep at home, but she was already here, watching over someone else’s. By the time her shift ended, her youngest would have eaten dinner without her. This is the quiet reality for the women security guards who protect university campuses day after day, mothers whose sacrifice often goes unnoticed.
A Gesture Rooted in Gratitude
The project called සෙනෙහසේ රැකවරණ, which translates to a sheltering love or caring protection, was organized by the ZeroPlastic Movement as a Mother’s Day initiative within the university. Its purpose was straightforward but deeply personal: to recognize the women security guards on campus who are also mothers, and to thank them for the long hours they spend ensuring the safety of students while being physically separated from their own families.
These women rarely receive public acknowledgment. They are fixtures of campus life, present at entrances and exits, standing through rain and heat, yet largely invisible in the daily rush of lectures and deadlines. සෙනෙහසේ රැකවරණ sought to change that, even if only for a moment.
Flower Plants and Handwritten Words
The team prepared small flower plants paired with handwritten notes for each of the women security guards. The choice of gift was intentional. A flower plant is not a fleeting gesture. It grows. It requires care. It mirrors the kind of steady, nurturing work these mothers do every day, both at home and on the job. The handwritten notes carried personal messages of appreciation and respect, written by the students themselves.
When the plants and notes were handed over, some of the women smiled quietly. Others were visibly moved. For many, it was the first time anyone on campus had stopped to say thank you in a way that felt personal rather than procedural. The simp…
