A Health Centre with a Difference for the Plantation workers

Posted on May 17, 2012 by Kamal Leave a comment

11th May 2012 was yet another memorable day for the tea plantation workers and their families of Somerset Estate in Nanu Oya. The Merrill J Fernando Health Centre on Somerset Estate was ceremonially opened and handed over to the estate management and workers by Founder and Settlor of the Foundation – Merrill J Fernando himself, amidst a large gathering of plantation workers, children and also the members of the Dilmah global family who were attending the 5th Dilmah Global Partner conference.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Foundation completely refurbished the old Dispensary of more than 50 years into a spacious, modern and elegantly looking Health Centre, which would not be seen on any other tea or rubber plantations at present. It is indeed a Health Centre with a difference. Incidentally, Sathyaraj the 1st Medical student from the plantation was in fact born at this Centre in July 1987.

The Merrill J Fernando Health Centre on Somerset Estate is equipped to handle all emergencies as well as to meet the day to day medical needs of the resident population of 3600. The Centre is equipped with an ECG Machine, Nebulizers, Digital Blood pressure apparatus and equipments to test blood sugar and HB levels. An Ambulance is also available for swift transfer of patients if required, to the nearest Government Hospital.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Centre provides daily Out Patient Care (OPD) medical care to its workers, anti natal and post natal care for expectant mothers and new borns, Age appropriate Immunization for children,  growth monitoring and nutritional supplementary meals at Child Development Centres, Nematode control (de working) programme. It also provides regular health education to the workers and adolescents and children in matters such as Early Childhood Development (ECCD) Oral Health, Family Spacing, Safe motherhood, HIV and AIDS, affects of teenage pregnancy, Control of oral cancer and TB, Alcohol reduction, Adolescents Health and nutrition etc. and Well Women for Expectant mothers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Foundation provided 2 new modern Child Development Centres to Somerset estate a couple of years ago and this Health Centre  re affirms its commitments and pledge to continuously strive to improve the quality of life of the tea plantation workers and the children through better healthcare, education and  infrastructure development. This also truly demonstrates that at Dilmah and the MJFCF “business is always a matter of human service”.

 

 

 

 

Earlier during the day the estate management, staff, workers and the little children accorded a warm and colourful welcome in typical plantation style to the Founder of MJFCF Merrill J Fernando and his sons Dilhan and Malik and to all the global partners who attended the event.

 

 

A little girl Gotska Berny from one of the Child Development Centres welcomed the Settlor and the guests to an emotional appreciation by all those present.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Kids also sang Happy Birthday to Mr. Fernando.

 

 

 

 

The Estate Manager Senaka Alawattegama in his vote of thanks at the end of the event expressed his profound thanks to Settlor and the Foundation and to all the Global partners of Dilmah for their ever willing support extended to bring about a smile in the faces of the tea plantation workers in general and the workers of Somerset in particular.

 

 

 

                                                           

 He also proudly announced that the Somerset Estate Health team was adjudged the 2nd Best HealthTeam amongst all plantations in the all island competition held recently

 

 

 

Community, Events, Health and medical, Kids, Plantations

4th Annual MJF Trophy for Excellence in Cricket for the Visually impaired – 2012

Posted on May 17, 2012 by Kamal Leave a comment

The month of May is special for MJFCF which also coincides with the birthday of the Founder and Settlor of the Foundation Merrill J. Fernando. The MJF Trophy for Excellence in Cricket for the visually impaired is one of the main features to commemorate this special day in the MJFCF calendar.

This year’s tournament was even more special for 2 reasons – 1 – it brought in 4 teams to the fray instead of the usual 2. Secondly it also coincided with the 5th annual Dilmah Global Partners conference in Colombo. And of course the tournament was played on the T20 format for the 1st time. 

 

 Teams representing Ranaviru Cricket Team,  The A Team from the Deaf & Blind School of Ratmalana, Soubhagya Maha Vidyalaya Scholl for the  visually impaired – Moneragala and CEI Plastics Cricket team competed for the championship trophy third year. Each team comprises of 3 players in the B1 (totally blind), and 4 each in the B2 (partially blind) and B3 (partially sighted) categories.

 

Neome left no stones unturned to make all the arrangements to conduct the preliminaries on 6th May and the finals on 7th May to a very high standard. The Federation for Cricket for the Visually Handicapped provided the neccesary support with their Officials for umpiring and scoring.

The Ranaviru Team emerged champions in the finals beating the CEI Plastics team quite comfortably. Put into bat 1st by CEI Plastics, The Ranaviru Team scored 166 for 6 in their allotted 20 overs and bowled out their opponents for 116 in the 18th over.

 

 

Rajiv Mathangaweera – Director of MJF Group inaugurated the proceedings earlier in the day and the prize distribution was graced by Settlor Merrill J. Fernando, Dilhan and Malik  and all Directors of the Group as well as the Global partners of Dilmah who were attending the 5th Dilmah Global Partners conference.

 

Differently able, Events

6th Consecutive Vesak Lantern competition of MJF Kids – 2012

Posted on May 17, 2012 by Kamal Leave a comment

One of the most important events in the Buddhist Calendar celebrated all over the world is Vesak.  Buddhists all over the world commemorate three events on Vesak day which fall usually on the full moon day in the month of May each year.

For Buddhist all over the world it is a Thrice Blessed Day – The Birth, Enlightenment and the Passing Away of Gautama Buddha – all on the same day.

As a result of this, Vesak is celebrated in many different ways all over the world. But in essence many practices have become universal. It is most important to remember that this sacred day is purely and simply a religious festival and not a festive occasion for feasting. On this day all Buddhists are expected to reaffirm their faith in the Buddha Dhamma and to lead a noble religious life. It is a day for meditation and for radiating loving kindness. Thousands of candles are being lit, flowers are given and meditations are held for world peace.

MJF Kids of all ethnicity and religions – a bunch of fun loving Kids – Sinhalese and Tamils -  Christians, Muslims, Hindus and Buddhists – all got together to celebrate Vesak with special emphasis on making Vesak Lanterns – illuminating the night with rays of lights and exposing the Birth, Enlightenment and the Passing Away of Gautama Buddha.

 

 

 

 

The 6th annual Vesak Lantern competition for MJF Kids was held at the MJF Centre in Moratuwa on Vesak day – 5th May, with the participation of nearly 120 Kids representing the MJF kids of Peliyagoda/Maligawatte, Pallansena and Moratuwa. This year’s competition brought about some impressive creations by the Kids using waste and recyclable raw materials.

 

 

 

 

The Judges – all external from MJF, had a tough time in selecting the best creations and finally the Edithara group from Peliyagoda emerged the champs.

 

 

 

 

 

All the kids had a wonderful day out at Moratuwa amidst making their lanterns. The MJFCF Team was at hand to make all the necessary arrangements to make it a memorable day for everyone.

 

Events, Kids, Moratuwa Centre, Peliyagoda

MJFCF meets Sathyaraj – The Doctor from the Plantations at him home on Somerset Estate

Posted on May 17, 2012 by Kamal Leave a comment

During the usual project monitoring visits by MJFCF to the plantations recently, it had the opportunity to meet up with Sathyaraj – the Medical student who is supported by the MJFCF scholarship scheme, at his home on Somerset Estate together with his Parents and Sister.

 

 

 

Sathyaraj is in his 3rd year at the Rajarata Medical Faculty and progressing extremely well. He is determined to come back to his home town area as a qualified Doctor very soon and to serve his community in the Plantations.

He owes his success to his parents both of whom are tea plantation workers on Somerset Estate who had supported him on his journey amidst many challenges and limitations. His father Balakrishnan has just retired from work but his mother is still a tea plucker on the estate. Sathyaraj also paid glowing tribute to Settlor and Founder of the Foundation for having supported him with an educational scholarship through his Advance Level education in the local school and continuing with another scholarship for his Medical college graduation.

Very soon the 1st Doctor of a plantation worker parents will be a reality and hopefully many more will follow in the years to come.

Community, Education, Plantations

MJF Charitable Foundation provides School Bags and accessories to new entrants to Grade 1 in 2012 from the Plantation CDCs

Posted on May 17, 2012 by Kamal Leave a comment

Nearly 800 Kids who gained admission to Grade 1 in the Primary schools from their Plantation CDCs in January 2012 were provided with a school bag each and their basic school needs. This is the 5th consecutive year that the Foundation has supported the parents with this small gift pack to mark a special milestone in the life of these plantation kids. Approximately 4000 kids have received the school bags when entering the primary school over the last 5 years.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

100 MJF Kids in Point Pedro and another 100 Kids in Batticaloa also received the school bags from the Foundation in January 2012.

These school bags are produced by “Daskam Nivasa” the production unit of the School for the Hearing and Visually Impaired (Subhagya Maha Vidyalaya) in Kumbukkana – Moneragala, another institution supported by the Foundation in education, recreation, infrastructure needs and the production unit.

 

Education, Kids, Plantations

Professor Ron Sanchez visits the Plantation Schools

Posted on May 17, 2012 by Kamal Leave a comment

Professor of Management – Copenhagen Business School in Denmark– Prof. Ron Sanchez and his wife visited some of the projects of the Foundation in January this year. In the plantation segment of his tour he visited the Child Development Centre on Somerset Estate, the MJFCF School at Holyrood Estate and Cambridge College in Kotagala.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The purpose of his visit was to have an in-depth understanding of the Dilmah philosophy of doing business as a matter of human service with a view include and showcase the Dilmah business story in his second edition of his text book publication on Strategic Management which will be made available in Europe, North America, and Asia for use in business schools around the world shortly.  

 

 

 

 

His last visit to Cambridge College in Kotagala, gave him the opportunity to discuss the progress made by the school and the students and their achievements over the last 2 – 3 years. He also visited the school library and volunteered to donate some books to the library in response to requests made by some students. This school is supported by MJFCF over the past 2 years to improve the achievement levels of students in Maths, English and Science at the GCE O/L examination through a process of model exams conducted from May to November each year.

 

 

 

During his subsequent visit to Sri Lanka in May as a participant and speaker at the 5th Dilmah Global Partner conference and the School of Tea, Prof. Sanchez donated some valuable books to the Cambridge College Library, which was accepted with profound thanks by the Principal, Teachers and the students.

Education, Events, Kids, Plantations

Dilmah Global Partners pledge their continued support to make Business a matter of human service

Posted on May 16, 2012 by Kamal Leave a comment

These pictures says it all…………………………

 

 

 

 

Thank you – to all our Global Partners. Lets jointly create a better tomorrow for all those around us and the environment we live on………………………………

Community, Differently able, Env. & wild Life, event / images captured my mind, Events, Kids, Plantations

A Grand farewell…….

Posted on April 4, 2012 by Neyome Leave a comment

Students of the Dhiriya – the Merrill J Fernando Center for Education & Vocational Training in Siyambalanduwa organized a grand farewell for Rev. Pastor Nishanka and his family on the 2nd of April 2012.

Rev. Pastor Nishanka initiated the project Dhiriya in 2008 which is supported by the MJF Charitable Foundation and Gourmet Foods Plc (a Friend of Dilmah) in Poland.

   

Classes began with 15 students leaning Maths, Science and Computer in 2008, today in 4 years the center aprox 500 students learning Maths, Science, Diploma in IT, Certificate Course in IT, English (6 Classes), Sewing, etc

We have held 3 grand convocations and Dhiriya has presented to the society well trained qualified employees who are recruited by the Government and Private Sectors in the District.

 

 

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Limitations only go so far…..

Posted on April 4, 2012 by Neyome Leave a comment

The Students of the School for the Visual and Hearing impaired participated and won many awared and medals at the recently conducted Sports meet for the special / challanged Students organized by the National Youth Service council of Sri Lanka.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The School in Monaragala was the 1st Runners up of the event and won 35 medals and awards including 02 gold medals.

The School for the Visual and Hearing impaired in Monaragala is supported by the MJF Charitable Foundation towards their Education, Sports & Recreation, Vocational Training and facilities.

The Students and specially the Cricketers of the School is preparing themselves for the Merrill J Fernando Challange Trophy to be held on the 07th of May 2012 at the De Soyza Stadium in Ratmalana.  This is an annual event that is played by the Special Children of ours with Special needs celebrating our Settlors birthday.

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Sale of Items produced by beneficiaries of MJFCF’s SEP from Monaragala

Posted on April 4, 2012 by Neyome Leave a comment

Upul and Niroshana are two beneficiaries of the MJF Charitable Foundation’s Small Entrepreneurship Programme in Monaragala (East of Sri Lanka) who were assisted by the foundation to carry on with their livelihood and to support their family. 

They were in return expected to uplife their living standards, create job opportunities to the youth in their community and be successful.

These two individuals who are also part of the MJF Dhiriya CBO (Community Based Organization) which was set up to bring all the individuals who have been assisted by the MJFCF under one umbrella where tallants, resources, technical knowledge, man power is shared within the members of the Society.

Upul and Niroshana visits the MJF Office in Peliyagoda on a Monthly basis to sell the items produced by them to the staff of Dilmah.

and it has been appreciated by the staff and also have allowed them to make some extra money for their living and to enhance their business.

They also bring with them products manufactures / produced by other members of the CBO i.e. Ghee, Milk Toffee produced by Sumith, Sun dried Curry leaves, and Vegies, Young Jack fry, etc produced by Anula, Papadam produced by Dharmadasa, etc… for the sale at Dilmah.

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