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

MJF Kids from Peliyagoda and Maligawatte Centres organized a farewell for their English teacher, Ms. Nelun Senanayake on Saturday 10^th April 2010. She was a volunteer English teacher from the MJF Group staff.

 Her English classes were scheduled for Fridays and she loves to teach the MJF Kids. If she was tied down with a meeting appointment or any urgent office work, she would prepare her lesson in advance and have her assistant take the class for that day. Nelun was a dedicated teacher with so much of love and compassion towards the well being of the MJF kids. She would personally get involved in the lives of kids and teach kids much more than their usual English lesson. She used to reward kids in various ways for their good performances, creating a sense of motivation towards the learning English subject and attending classes every day.

 With much regret the MJF Kids had to say good bye to their much loved teacher, Ms. Nelun Senanayake on the 10^th April, 2010. Kids had organized an outstanding performance with speeches, songs and dance in appreciation for what their entire teacher had contributed towards them. Nelun worked with the kids for almost two years and made a remarkable improvement in the Kids. She will remain in the hearts of kids as one of their favorite teachers during their MJF Kids programme.

 MJFCF team too joins the Kids is thanking Nelun for her invaluable services rendered to the MJF Kids.

Compiled by Sumithra – 12/4/10

Differently  abled are often neglected and not considered as part of the community; people forget to realize that they are differently abled, but this is not the same when it comes to the MJF charitable Foundation, they are considered and referred to as differently abled.

The diffrently abled  stands first at the MJF Charitable Foundation and the foundation currently is involved in many activities for them in the country.  The following are few.  

A School (Sithjaya the Merrill J Fernando Center for the differently able) for the disable in Ambalantota in the Hambantota District (Deep South of Sri Lanka) with facilities for nearly 100 disable children where they obtain educational and vocational training.

 The MJF Charitable Foundation has adopted the School for the Deaf and Blind in Monaragala (Eastern part of Sri Lanka) which is the poorest districts in Sri Lanka.  The foundation has built a sales center that sells the products of the hands of the talented at the School that generates revenue to the School.

The Foundation assisted two individuals at the Deaf & Blind School – Monaragala with their livelihood on the 05^th of April 2010. 

Jayaratne (Completely Blind)

Jayaratne sells grams, toffees and little items in the bus.  Jayaratne is married to Mrs. Ramya a teacher who is also absolutely blind. 

Jayaratne made a request through the Principal of the Deaf & Blind School to help him with some assistance to improve his sales and since he is blind and that he is a father of a perfect Daughter (although the parents are disabled) he feels that its his responsibility to earn and save some money for her future that it will help her even if they are not there while she grow up.

MJFCF bought items enabling Jayaratne to continue with his livelihood that he is convenient and able to handle better than before. We hope this will allow him to make more money and save some for his daughter and also his wife for their future.

 Pushpakumara  

Pushpakumara is unable to hear or speak.  Brought-up by the Principal from the childhood, he is trained at the School in Carpentry, Masonry, Sewing, Cooking, Gardening and taking care of the Children etc..

Pushpakumara is the Big Brother for the rest of the students in the School.  The Principal and the staff of the School has helped Pushpakumara to purchase a house close to School with the savings of Rs.200,000/- that Pushpakumara had saved and by getting a loan from the bank of Rs.250,000/-.  The team is looking for a suitable girl for Pushpakumara to get married.

With all the above arrangements and changes taking place in Pushpakumara’s life, considering his hard work and honesty that the MJF team recognized in him it was decided to help Pushpakumara with livelihood support by providing him with tools that will help him start working outside the school undertaking contracts.  The foundation has provided a complete set of tools that Pushpakumara needs to carryout his work in the masonry field.  

Work for the differently abled will continue

MJFCF commenced construction work on its new project to build and donate a Eye Surgical Unit for the Dickoya Government Hospital in Norwood. The construction is expected to be completed by November this year. This is the 2^nd major project of MJFCF to support the National Health care services. In 2009 the Foundation donated Mammography machine and an Ultra Sound Scanner to the National Cancer Institute in Colombo to support the institute with the national screening programme for breast cancer for women over 40 years.

The new Eye Surgical Unit in Dickoya will exclusively serve the plantation communities in the hill country.