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

Dilmah International Marketing division’s Dayangani Perera visited the St.Mary’s church last Sunday, to provide some insight and learning on sales and marketing to the first group of SEP recipients from Colombo’s highly urbanized, Mattakuliya area. This lecture is part of the education process to ensure a better success rate to the group who have received equipment to start up small income generating businesses.
In the span of 1-1/2 hours, the group of women were given an overall, and comprehensive insight into the various aspects of sales and marketing. The following marketing principals were lectured and then discussed with the SEP recipients.

• Definition of marketing
• Identifying markets
• Basic marketing strategies
• The marketing mix

At the end of the class, Dayangani presented the listeners with Q&A time to obtain a level of response and feedback. It was encouraging to see that almost all of them were very responsive, took notes, and answered the questions in relation to what they had heard.
In bringing the SEP program to be more businesslike , these lectures carried out by the volunteer Dilmah staff will prove to be a very effective way to give the SEP recipients expertise knowledge on how to manage their sales, find markets and also manage finances. Upon close evaluation, it was evident in many instances that these people did not have much of an idea about managing the sales and moreover the income generated by it. Another class done by another volunteer will be held in due course to teach micro finance management.
The participation of MJF Group employees will also provide an opportunity to be more involved in the Foundation activity.

The SEP (Small Entrepreneur Program) has been one of the most successful projects of the MJF Charitable Foundation. Begun in 2005, initially to assist the surviving victims of the Asian Tsunami, the program now has over 475 persons who have received support to begin small scale businesses.
Following the success story, the first women’s only SEP program in suburban Colombo was initiated on the 8th of May, to coincide with Mr.Merrill J. Fernando – the MJF Foundation Settlor’s birthday events being held during the week.
12 women were identified through the St.Mary’s church located in Mattakkuliya (a densely populated area in suburban Colombo). Of the 12 women, 8 of them are currently participants in the nutrition program also being funded by the MJF Foundation. The selection process mainly was based on criteria that seemed most practical for mothers with infants.
Leaving an infant at home for a labor intensive job is no easy task for a mother. This situation creates a very real problem when income generation is considered a priority task but also the need to tend to the baby’s needs. Ultimately most women are left with little or no choice but to depend on their husbands for a source of income. As we have seen in many instances, this is hardly enough to keep the home fires burning. And the irony of it all is that many men in these impoverished societies are involved in a variety of illegal activity including drug abuse. As a result, they are apprehended by the police and most often end up in jail, thus leaving their wives and children in a desperate attempt to fend for them selves.
The SEP program is seen as a two pronged solution to this situation where the mother can be at home to provide care to the child, and at the same time carry out a business venture to generate income, hereby being a little more independent of her husband’s earnings.
Keeping to the MJF Foundation’s method of assistance, these recipient’s homes were visited prior to assistance to gauge their actual situation. Those visibly below the poverty line, but with promise and a high level of determination to succeed, were chosen. This women’s group being the first, their success will act as an example to encourage more women in future SEP programs to be implemented within the Mattakkuliya area.
We wish them all the very best!

The far-flung and one of the most beautiful province Moneragala is Sri Lanka’s poorest.  Well the question is, is it still the same?

MJF Charitable Foundation is grateful to aprox 155 personnel who helped us assist them to uplift their living standards under the Small Entrepreneur Programme (SEP) that supports and empowers underprivileged communities.  Given below are some success stories who proclaims that they no more fall into the POOREST category…. they are counting their blessings everyday now

   Chandralatha a Potter had the talent, the ability but did not have the resources to start her own pottery.  With the little assistance received from the MJF Charitable Foundation Chandralatha started her pottery of her own.  Her products are sold in Monaragala and around also have a good demand too.  Chandralatha has provided employment for six in the village and owns a Trishaw that helps them to transport raw materials and the finished products.  Ambition, fueled by wisdom and integrity, is a powerful force for good that will turn the wheels of industry and open the doors of opportunity for you and countless others says Zig Ziglar, how true

Upul a young boy from the same district in a place called Nakkala produces Jam, Toffees, Banana Chips. “Assistance provided by MJF Charitable Foundation has changed my life completely” he says. 

  Udayaratne well known as Kalumalli met with an accident while he was 2 1/2 years old that a Kerosene Oil lamp fell in the bed while he was sleeping and caught fire not only the bed and the house, Kalumalli too caught fire as a result he is disabled today.   Not given up in life Kalumalli setup a bicycle workshop with the experience he had gained prior.  he has build a beautiful house for his mother, his brother and the bothers family to live from the income generated from this workshop.  If you’re an underdog, mentally disabled, physically disabled, if you don’t fit in, if you’re not as pretty as the others, you can still be a hero

  Sumana an excellent Seamstress was provided with a sewing machine, a spinster, looking after her ill mother earns her living from income generated by sewing cloths to the community.  She is now conducting sewing classes to poor young girls in the village free of charge. its encouraging to see her involvement in a little way to uplift the community.

  Chandranimal produces fresh and pure spices, he buys the raw material from the market cleans, dries, grinds and packets them and sells it to the market.  His products have a good demand in the market due to the high quality of the products.  he has also setup a little grocery store next to his house where he sells these spices produced by him at special price to his villagers.  MJFCF assisted him with only a grinding machine worth half a lack but his achievement today is much more than that was granted.

  Nihal – Agriculturist – has cultivated Papaya and Corn in aprox. 3.5 acres of land and says that he has a good earning from it. Qualified in Agriculture Nihal also provides job opportunities to 6 in the village.  MJFCF supported Nihal with water pumps and motor.  Well it’s true what Napoleon Hill Said that “Everyone enjoys doing the kind of work for which he is best suited”.

  Mr. & Mrs. Ekenayake – the owners of a Plant Nursery – have now cultivated Dragon Fruit  that has a huge  demand and they provide the youth with necessary advice and training too.  MJFCF provided them with equipments to setup and to run this nursery.

 Migrants from Matara to Monaragala Badra & Jayantha found the skill they are familiar with will make their living in the new place and started growing mushrooms.  They have now purchased a Three Wheeler and production too has increased. MJFCF supported them to only setup the area for cultivation.

 Dinesh and his Wife – Owners of an Aquarium. Their dream was to set up an aquarium and to be the best in the Monaragala district. Theirs is the main and the best aquarium in the district and the couple have now managed to setup a Gymnasium too with the profit from this business. 

 Dhammika Roshan – Phone repairer.  He was the only mobile phone repairer in Monaragala. The MJFCF donated the equipments that’s needed for his work. His wife as he says is of great strength towards his work.

 Anula Ratnayake – Produces dry food items using the material available in the surrounding (i.e. Jack, bitter gourd, Curry Leaves, Plantains, etc… the Foundation has provided her with the Drying machine.  Anula’s Mother and Husband help her on this business enterprise.

A little push has taken the above personnel to great heights……. we value their hard work and the interest taken to uplift their standards and by the quality of lives of their families…. Hats off to each and every one of them…

Darme who received the MJFCF’s assistance to set up a little operation of manuafacturing papadam has now extended his operation, recruited new staff/workers, implimented new varities (kurakan, bites papadam) is ready to enter the market and compete with other brands that has been dominating the market.