Time flies - especially when there is so much to do - and the five months since my last update have gone so quickly.   It’s definitely time to give an update on the substantial progress that has been made.

A summary of the overall achievements since October 2006 is given at the end of the page, so that our donors, well wishers, volunteers, management and all others can take note how their backing has made it all happen for the good of mankind, turning a huge setback into a blessing.

Almost 26 months have passed since the day the entire village was submerged in high water, as if the ocean had extended its boundaries.  Today, it is extremely fulfilling to see what has developed from the ruins left by this destruction, So many sectors are now prospering, evidence that those compassionate waves of giving overpowered the waves of destruction - my favourite verse, as nothing of what we achieved would have been possible if not for the generosity and kindness that emerged subsequent to the tragic Tsunami.

As you can see from the progress chart, most of the priority needs have been addressed and the special projects are now being developed.  This includes the MCC Centre of Excellence, a learning institute sponsored by the famous Marylebone Cricket Club at Lords and co-sponsored by many other reputed donors worldwide.  This one of a kind project is to unfold on my former family villa which has been gifted for this purpose. 

At this stage I cannot forget one man who climbed the Grey stoke mountains in record breaking time  - namely Milos Stankovic in the UK  - campaigning at the very outset for this institution and raising funds to make it a reality. Fortunately, as all good things happen the way it is wished with purity of intentions, the world renowned MCC collaborated to ensure the birth of this amazing facility. 

Co-sponsors of this project are:
Milos Stankovic, International Youth Foundation USA/ Nokia, Netherlands Free University Hospital, Direct Relief International USA, Sri Lanka Children’s Fund – Townsville Australia, AVIVA UK, Wavenet Sri Lanka, Ranjan De Costa USA, Stafford International School Sri Lanka, Help Sri Lanka – Melbourne Australia.

For more information, please visit the MCC Centre of Excellence page http://www.unconditionalcompassion.com/sub/CentreofExcellence.htm which will be updated as the project progresses.

We are also building a Sports Academy which again is a unique achievement and a dream come true in this rural environment.  We believe the project could harness the potential of so many talented and skillful youngsters emerging from disadvantaged communities who have no facilities to make headway, unlike the privileged who can easily access the resources they need to develop their full potential.

As an example, more than half our national cricketers originate from the remote areas and their achievement to secure a place in the world cup squad, especially with the kind of training facilities they’ve had in their younger days, is truly admirable and praiseworthy. 

Both Sri Lanka’s opening batsman Upul Tharanga and bowler Lasith Malinga originate from few kilometers either side of our village and the way they have performed at an international level is truly remarkable, given the fact that the training facilities they were exposed to cannot be compared with other developed nations.  This only proves that our village children and youth have the ingredients required to take them to the top given better facilities and guidance.

This being the case, we are fortunate to be blessed with such a lovely Sports Centre that can cater to neighbouring villages in the Seenigama region thanks to the two major sponsors - the Surrey County Cricket Club & the famous Musician Mr Bryan Adams – as well as many other co-sponsors who can be proud of having helped us to establish these sporting facilities.

Co-sponsors of this project are:

Cricket New South Wales-Australia, Western Australian Cricket Association-Perth, Jersey Side by Side-Channel Islands, Highgate School-UK, Mr David Cruse-Knox Food & Beverage Australia, Mr Harry Solomons-Kings Grove Sports Centre Australia, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Y’s Men International-Sri Lanka, Professional Investment Services-Australia, Australian High Commission-Sri Lanka.

For more information on the Sports Centre and our sports program in general, please visit the sports page
http://www.unconditionalcompassion.com/sub/Sports.htm

If there is one person I have to single out for undertaking both these projects, including design, co-ordination and execution, it is our Project Director Mr Shane Bailey, a Sri Lankan who migrated to Australia when he was 10 and returned to serve his motherland 18 months ago. 

What an amazing job he has done staying at the village, undergoing many hardships but never giving up, as he knows what it means from his heart to be delivering two projects of this kind. He is a true son of the soil.  He has been of immense help to me and having him shoulder the responsibility to deliver these two landmark projects has been most inspiring and a source of huge strength to the Foundation of Goodness.  Shane will be abundantly blessed but more importantly when he gets older he can think back and enjoy it the second time, which is what you like to do when you are at that stage.

When we look back at the sequence of events from that fateful day up to now, it has been a journey not previously traveled. Having reached more than three quarters of the way, we can now see that our aim to develop a rural community model that will empower the less privileged children and youth so their aspirations can be fulfilled is on its way.  It is important to emphasize that if not for the waves of compassion all this would not bear fruit.

Having done all this, the key now is to sustain these developments, which is the difficult part. Like many sponsors who want to maintain their identity in the context of corporate social responsibility, we are quite keen to address this concern and together we plan to drive these projects in the same way a company would to ensure the sustenance of a department in that organisation.

I would fail in my duty if I didn’t mention the collective effort of so many people who came together with their contributions in making all of this happen, and we can all be pleased that we made a positive impact for the betterment of our rural communities in the region, alleviating their miseries to begin with and then providing other facilities for the good of their younger generations.

The Foundation of Goodness salutes each and every person who joined in to make this happen - may their lives be enriched with so much happiness and highest blessings for their future well being.

The terrific support that we continue to receive world wide is ample testimony of the way we work with attention to detail and the very best professional standards that’s in practice delivering what we promise to elevate the standards of humanity.

The one thing that we wish to stress is the need to create learning centres in every village, so they become the heartbeat of that village for the future betterment of its children and youth, guiding them in the proper direction for their future prosperity.  These centres in our opinion should consist of English teaching, computer training, libraries and other forms of skills development, inculcating the qualities of goodness in children and youth for a better Sri Lanka.  In fact we have set up four English and computer centres sponsored by Geneva Global via USAID, but on our own with a consortium of donors such a centre as mentioned above is now under construction as a model concept which can be replicated in the most remote of villages for better productivity.

When I reflect and look at the home page stories on our web-site which number close to a hundred, I have no words to describe the many opportunities that have arisen and the way in which we have harnessed the best out of a difficult situation - I can only think of it being a village in the wake of a wave.

Kushil Gunasekera
Founder/Trustee

‘Greatness is not found in possessions, power or positions.  It is discovered in goodness, humility and service to fellow men’

PROGRESS:

• Permanent housing = 600
• Partially damaged houses repaired = 401
• Livelihood projects = 500
• Children’s educational supplies packages = 3000
• Upgrading school facilities = 10
• Educational scholarships = 100
• Monthly Sports programmes = 7 (villages)
• Health care services  (1000 patients a month free of cost from 20 villages)
• Computer Training Centres = 5
• English Teaching Centres = 5
• Women’s Empowerment Enterprise Division = 1
• Electricity & sanitation facilities = 350
• MCC Centre of Excellence = 10 sectors
• Sports Academy/ Accommodation centre = 6 different sports & facilities
• Environment Project Management Centre = 1
• Children’s Goodness Activity Clubs = 2 villages

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