MJF Charitable Foundation – Blog
Business is a matter of human service

MJF Charitable Foundation with the support of a true friend of Dilmah the Gourmet Foods – Poland helps nearly 200 children a year in the Siyambalanduwa region with their education and have seen a growth of 50% in Students attending School, Concentrating in Studies, Achieving better results.

The community have named the center Dhiriya (which means Strength) has enabled nearly 200 students within the first year of its involvement in the area to successfully complete and get through in the areas they are trained.

Classes are conducted for Mathamatics, Science, English, Computer (one year Diploma course for the School Leavers seeking Jobs and 6 months certificate course for the Students attached to Dhiriya and have sat for the GCE Ordinary Level Examination and waiting for their results), Sewing to the young adults and to the Mothers in the community Free of Charge. 

The Pictures below were taken during the convocation of the 1st year of Dhiriya the MJF Center for Education and Vocational Training.

Students who have completed Diploma in Computer Studies 2009

Students who have completed one year Diploma in Scientific Cutting and Dress Making – 2009

Students who have completed their 6 months Certificate in Computer Studies – 2009

Students who attended Classes and revision Classes for the GCE Ordinary Level Examination in 2009

The MJF Charitable Foundation will continue assiting the Dhiriya Center with an advanced method of teaching from June 2010.

When the MJF Team visited the Holyrood Primary School site on the 15th March, the construction was at roof level. The school is getting into shape as expected and will be completed on schedule by end April. The images below shows the class rooms and hall that will be availbale to the Kids once the construction is completed.

Reggie the MJF Kids Co-ordinator had a  meeting with the parents of the MJF Kids recently at the Kids home at the Peliyagoda MJF complex. Progress of the Kids, regular absentees, non attending to home works and assignemnets  were discussed with the parents. The need for the parents to more closely follow the progress of their childen both at school and the programme were re emphasized by Reggie. About 29 parents whose kids were lagging back with their work were invited for the meeting and the attendance of parents was good.

The participation of the parents  and their reciprocation towards their Kids programme at MJF has seen a significant improvment since of late which augurs well for the future of the programme.

Reggie together with 6 Group Leaders of MJF Kids from Peliyagoda – Kasun, Faakeer, Diva, Krishanthini, Thamali and Ishani Tharuka visited the Pallansena MJF Kids on the 24th afternoon at Pallansena.

40 Kids from the Pallansena programme along with their teachers Gerard and Kanthi and the President of the Pallansena Fisheries Society accorded a warm welcome to the  the MJF Kids team. After a brief introduction of the MJF Kids programme,  its objectiives and expectations by Kamal, Reggie took over the inaugural proceedings. The Pallansena Kids were divided into 4 groups and with the help of the Peliyagoda Kids, the groups nominated their  Group Leaders and Secrataries and provided some of the initial information of the Kids and their expectations from the MJF Kids programme to be implemented at Pallansena shortly, which will be similar to the MJF Kids programme at Peliyagoda.

A breif exchange of ideas followed with the Peliyagoda Kids enlightening their Pallansena counter parts of  their success stories and also performed one of their dances to them.

A very strong and fruitful link seem to be emerging between the Kids from Peliyagoda and Pallansena and through which MJF has ensured that the traditional link between the birth village of the Founder / Chairman of MJF Group Merrill J Fernando  and the MJF  Group is further strenthened and a long term plan to improve the quality of life of the Pallansena community through a structured educational improvement project for the Pallansena MJF Kids is being established.

The progress of the project is ahead of schedule. When the MJFCF team visited the site on their routine inspection tour on the 19th February,  the building constrcution had progressed upto roof level. The toilets to the school were almost complete. The view from the proposed school is amazing with lush green tea fields all around and the new plantation workers housing project on the opposite side.

With the very positive results achieved with the MJF Kids at Peliyagoda and Maligawatte, MJFCF will extend support to a similar initiative in Pallansena in Negombo,  the birth place the Settlor Merrill J Fernando.

Reggie the MJF KIds Co-ordinator met with the Kids at Pallansena recently to assess the current status and MJFCF will commence the new programme before end February. About 50 Kids from this fishing village in Pallansena will be initially absorbed to the programme, which will have IT, English and Maths classes and gradually be developed to the same levels of the MJF Kids programme presently being implemented in Peliyagaoda and Maligawatte.

MJFCF with the assistance of the Commissioner of Prisons and his staff visited the  rehabilitation centre which provides learning and training to young offenders. The Centre is located at Ambepussa about 50 Kms. from Colombo.  Currently the inmates are provides with learning opportunities with minimal facilities. There are many improvements needed for structural, service provision  and quality of training that are available at present.

As for now MJFCF  wish the students who would be sitting for their GCE O/L exams all the very best.

The mid day meals programme initiated by MJFCF 3 years ago,is now being implemented in 121 CDCs on 32 plantations. Nearly 4000 children below 5 years enjoy a nutritious mid day meal every day at the CDCs. Plantations have recorded a significant improvement in the attendance of children as well the nutrtritious status of the childeren during the last 2 years. Whilst the Kids really enjoy their meals the parents are also releived of the burden of cooking a meal for their kids as most parents work on the plantations during the day.

With the weather very much condusive for constrcutions in the up country areas work on the Holyrood Primary School is progressing at a rapid pace. At the last inspection visit to the site on 2nd February, the construction work was at roof level.

MJF Foundation provided 5 more new CDCs to the plantations in Novemebr and December last year. These CDCs were constructed on Galamuduna, Imboolpitiya, Endane,Kataboola and Dunsinane estates. With these new CDCs the Foundation has todate provided 14 new CDCs and refurbished 61 existing CDCs in the plantations of Kahawatte, Talawakelle and Elpitiya plantations. These centres provide nursery care, pre school activities and Miod day meals to the children whist their mothers are at work on the plantations.