Cricket players, Foundation of
Goodness (FoG) staff, volunteers, community members and
local MCC Trustees gathered for the soft opening of the
major training centre and community hub the MCC Centre
of Excellence in Seenigama last week.
The MCC Centre of Excellence,
sponsored by the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC)
and a wealth of other donors, is an ambitious
project comprising of a medical centre, women’s
enterprise division, environment office,
business skills development centre, modern
computer lab, pre-school, handicraft boutique,
re-building lives programme, English training
school, MCC gallery, tsunami gallery,
administration office and accommodation for
volunteers, donors and trainers.
Built on the grounds of FoG’s founder Kushil
Gunasekera’s ancestral home, the Centre of
Excellence represents a major step forward from
the devastation of the 2004 tsumani.
‘I am immensely proud of what we have achieved in
getting this Centre to where it is today - a unique
landmark project against the backdrop of a rural
community,’ said Mr Gunasekara.
‘Our heartfelt gratitude goes
to the Marylebone Cricket Club in the UK for
sponsoring the entire project, beginning with a
tsunami relief cricket match between the MCC and
a world XI which opened the gateway for the
waves of compassion to make it all happen.’
The generosity of donors from across
the globe and the hard work of Foundation staff has seen
the transformation of what was once a ruined villa first
into a relief co-ordinating secretariat for over 20
villages in the region, and now a modern facility well
equipped to better the lives of people in and around the
Seenigama rural communities.
Following a traditional oil
lamp ceremony, attendees were given the opportunity to
tour the extensive facilities which took a year to
complete, with many commenting on how impressed they
were by the high standard of presentation throughout the
complex.
‘It is hard to believe that this Centre was just a dream
which many felt was too ambitious to become a reality
after the tsunami flattened the whole area,’ said Mr
Gunasekera.
‘Words cannot express how grateful the Foundation of
Goodness is for the support – starting with Miloš
Stanković who believed in the vision from the very
beginning – which has enabled us to create a centre that
will provide opportunities for thousands of local people
to improve their lives.’
Sponsors of the Centre of
Excellence and its programmes include:
Marylebone Cricket Club (major sponsor), AVIVA,
Direct Relief International, Help Sri Lanka,
International Youth Foundation, NOKIA, Miloš
Stanković, MBE, Ranjan De Costa, Sri Lankan
Tsunami Children’s Appeal Townsville, Stafford
International School, VU Medisch Centrum
Netherlands, UNICEF.
‘The Centre provides empowerment
through education, healthcare and vocational training,
so that disadvantaged children and youth have greater
opportunities to succeed,’ Mr Gunasekera said.
Guests at the opening included Sri Lankan cricket team
captain Mahela Jayawardena, local MCC trustees Vijaya
Malalasekera, Ajith Dias, Mano Ponniah, and honorary MCC
member and former Sri Lankan cricketer Sidath Wettimuny,
highlighting the strong link between FoG and cricketing
organizations who have offered much support in
rebuilding the area.
