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

MJF Technical Officer Uditha’s last inspection to the site was on 21st January. The construction progress is on target. With the weather condusive for constructions in the hill country area the new facilty should be ready for occupation by the Kids when they commence their 2nd school term in May 2010.

Kids seem to be taking special interest in attending their classes at the new MJF Kids home. Attendance at the special classes is good and even on wednesdays which was set aside for group leaders meetings, additional Maths classes are being conducted for Kids who needs special atention in the subject. Indunil Aruna, Madhava Nimarshana and Faakeer senior MJF Kids who have excelled in the subject share their knowledge with these kids so as to improve their knowledge on the subject.

MJF Foundation donated school bags and books for the 4th consecutive year to children who entered grade 1 in the National Schools from the CDCs in plantations. 1150 children from nearly 32 plantations associated with the MJF Foundation received their school bags and books on their respective plantations during December last year and early January, before the commencement of the new school term in January 2010. The Foundation has todate suppported 4350 children with similar assistance when these children are admitted to the national schools at the age of 6 years since 2007. This is in addition to providing them with a qualitative care and a nutritious mid day meal at the CDCs where these children spend their 1st 5 years whilst their mothers are at work on the plantations.

The school bags provided this year to these children were made by the inmates of the production unit of the Deaf & Bilnd School in Moneragalla which also an institution supported by the MJF Foundation.

The MJF Kids moved to their new home within the MJF complex on the 11th of January 2010 with the begining of their new school term. These Kids used one of the floors of the MJF office hitherto for their daily activities and special classes.

2009 was an eventful year for the MJF Kids and many of them excelled in their school progress compared to the previous years. 5 Kids sat for their GCE O/L exam in December last year and are hopeful of achieving good results. Another 6 will sit for the GCE O/L exam this December.

Nearly 120 Kids living in the vicinities of the MJF Office complex in Peliyagoda and Maligawatte are involved with the programme and spend their afternoons attending special classes in selected subjects. Volunteer Teachers from within the Dilmah family take time off to teach the Kids IT on Mondays, Maths on Tuesdays, Science on Thursdays and English on Fridays. In addition external teachers handle Dancing and Commerce on Mondays. The Group Leaders meet on Wednesdays and Saturdays are set aside for Art and Handicraft.

The Kids are also provided with internet access in the IT classes this year and hence they could share their thoughts and work with their friends and the Dilmah family.

The MJF Kids held their year end event for 2009 on the 3rd of January 2010 at the MJF Office complex. Settlor and Chairman Merrill J Fernando and Dilhan were the Chief guests. The Kandyan Dance troupe of the MJF Kids welcomed the guests and were taken through an exhibition of their paintings, handicraft, needlework etc…

The entire event was well organised and presented by the Kids themselves which included items of dances, speeches and christmas carrols. The Kids who execelled in various activities and competitions were recognized with awards of certificates and trophies. A large gathering of parents of the Kids also participated in the event and also experessed their gratitude to the Settlor and the entire Dilmah family for having provided such a golden opportunity for their children to not only excell and improve their studies at school but also for having made the foundation for a better future to their kids who would otherwise be just another child from the environs of their slum homes in the vicinities of the MJF complex.

CHANGING LIVES has been the MJF Charitable Foundation’s main concerns and we have been working towards reaching to the exact persons with the right solutions to give them a better living. Given below are few stories of people whose lives have really changed for them to be better citizens of this country.

If you start JUDGING PEOPLE you will be having no time to LOVE THEM -Mother Therera

Just because they took a wrong turn in their lives that doesnt make them bad people. The Small Entrepreneurship Programme that is conducted at the Prisons for the inmates leaving the prisons on Parole has been yet another successful project of ours.
They are no more identified as Criminals or convicts but excellent Tailors, Carpenters, Mechanics, Masons, Fishermen and valuable people to their community.

The MJF Charitable Foundation initiated a project to provide a new school facility to the little children of Holyrood Estate in Talawakelle. Nearly 200 children of plantation workers of Holyrood estate who are now housed in a single room building of 60 years, will move into their spacious new facility in May this year. Construction work which was commenced in November last year is progressing on target. The Provincial Minister of Education of the Central Province and Dilhan laid the foundation stone on 21st November amidst a large gathering of children, parents and teachers of the school and the Estate Management.