Fifteen top KPMG Partners took time
out from their packed schedules to visit Seenigama and
see the lasting impact their organisation has had on the
lives of residents who lost everything in the 2004
Boxing Day tsunami.
Here for a KPMG Middle East South
Asia (MESA) Board meeting in Colombo, the delegates from
Bahrain, Egypt, India, Kuwait, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia,
the UK, USA and Sri Lanka chose to make the six hour
return journey to visit KPMG/LOLC village, a community of 50 houses
sponsored by KPMG and Lanka Orix Leasing Company for
families whose homes and belongings were destroyed by
the wave.
The internationally renowned accounting firm made
history for the Foundation when they added to funds
raised by their UK staff to donate more than 80,000 GBP
for constructing the new homes. This unique project
created the only KPMG village in the world.
Senior Partner of KPMG Ford Rhodes Thorton & Co Sri
Lanka, Mr Rajan Asirwatham, described the visit to as
extremely uplifting for the delegates.
‘They found it incredible to see the
village, they had never imagined something like this,’
he said.
‘They could see for themselves that in a small way KPMG
has done something to alleviate the misery of those
affected by the tsunami.’
Though the delegates had just one day scheduled to visit
Sri Lanka for the Board meeting, they chose to come
earlier and visit the village, with UK delegate Mike
Gabriel driving straight from Colombo airport to
Seenigama.
The Foundation of Goodness’s
Housing Committee and Children’s Club showed the
visitors just how much their generosity is
appreciated with a warm Sri Lankan welcome,
including traditional dancing, Buddhist
ceremonies and a presentation to show the
village’s progress.
The guests also heard first
hand the amazing difference their donations have made for people
devastated by their losses and facing extreme difficulties in rebuilding their
lives - until the generosity of donors gave them
the opportunity for a better future.
KPMG has a long history of
supporting the Foundation. As well as sponsoring
construction of the village, they provide
auditing services for the organisation free of
charge each year.
The Foundation has also been honoured by a visit
from International Chairman of KPMG Sir Mike
Rake and his wife, who traveled from the UK to
officially open the village last year. Other
visitors from KPMG have since made donations for
tables and chairs, a reading room and more.
The MESA delegates and observers who made this
latest visit now know how much their donations
have improved the lives of the KPMG village
residents. As Mr Asirwatham explains, while the
journey was fleeting, the memories will remain.
‘The delegates can now identify and see what the
money was donated for. They were very happy to
see something tangible and concrete for the
money they collected,’ he said.
The Foundation of Goodness Housing Committee and
residents of KPMG/LOLC village thank the
delegates for their visit.
Mr Vijay Malhotra - Chairman, MESA Region
Mr Jamal Fakhro - Senior Partner, KPMG Bahrain
Mr Masoud Naqvi - Senior Partner, KPMG Pakistan
Mr Russel Perera - Senior Partner & Partner,
KPMG India
Mr Abdullah Al Fozan – Partner, Saudi Arabia
Mr Aidan Walsh - Partner, KPMG USA
Mr Mike Gabriel - Partner, KPMG UK
Mr Amir Abbasi - Regional Exec. Off., KPMG MESA
Mr Safi Al Mutawa - Senior Partner, KPMG Kuwait
Mrs Safi Al Mutawa & family
Mr Adeeb Khan - Partner, KPMG Bangladesh
Mr Choudhry - Senior Partner, KPMG Bangladesh
Mr Rajan Asirwatham - Senior Partner, KPMG Sri
Lanka
Mr Reyaz Mihular - Partner, KPMG Sri Lanka
KPMG to TREK Sri Lanka
KPMG is set to organise a fund raising trek
in Sri Lanka that will bring approx. 100
volunteers from their UK office to undertake a
sponsored walk.
While details are still being confirmed, the
walk is scheduled for October 200. KPMG Sri
Lanka has nominated the Seenigama KPMG Village
to be included in the route. All money raised
will go to charities in Sri Lanka.
Page last updated:
19-03-2007
