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

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!

Consequent to the formal launch of special English & Maths education project for 25 schools in Talawakelle at the Holyrood Primary School opening, the project was formally inaugurated at the Kotagala Tamil Maha Vidyalaya in Kotagala on the 24^th of May. Principals of all 25 schools, the Maths and English Teachers of the respective schools were present at the inauguration chaired by the Additional Zonal Director of Education. The objectives, the methodology and the expected outcomes of the project were clearly outlined to all school Principals and Teachers and all attendees whilst appreciating the initiatives taken by MJFCF to improve the achievements levels in Maths and English at the GCE O/L exam, assured their fullest commitment towards achieving the expected outcomes.

The 1^st model exam in Maths and English for nearly 1050 GCE O/L students will be held on 25^th and 26^th May respectively in all 25 schools.  MJFCF handed over the printed test papers to the Principals of all schools. Similar exams will be held every month till November – thus preparing the students suitably to face the GCE O/L exam in December. In addition nearly 6000 students in Grades 6 – 10 will face a mid year achievement test in June in English and Maths. 

Nearly 90% of the student population in the 25 schools in this programme are children of Tea Plantation workers in Talawakelle, Dimbula and Kotagala areas.

This special education improvement project is a joint venture between MJFCF and Noramix Group of Norway.

The MJF Kids held their Vesak lantern competition for the 4^th year in succession at their Kids home in Peliyagoda on 22^nd May.  Vesak is a Buddhist religious event celebrated in Sri Lanka in the month of May every year. The significance of Vesak is the birth, enlightenment and the demise of Lord Buddha.

All 8 groups within the MKF Kids produced colouful lanterns under theme of birds and animals associated with the life of Buddha. The panel of judges comprising of Vajira from QA, Nissala from HR and Shanthi from MJFCF from within the MJF group indeed had a hard task in selecting the best 4 as all groups produced some creative lanterns.

It was a great effort by the Kids amidst a week long heavy rains and floods experienced in most part of the country. However on the day of the event, there was no rains at all and the kids representing all religious faiths  were really overjoyed and thanked god for acceding to their week long prayers in giving them a rain free day to display their creative lanterns.

Team “Rose” emerged winners followed by Nelum and Manel Teams.

Dilhan and Serena along with the panel of judges distributed the prizes to the winners.

The week long events to mark the 80^th birthday of Mr. Merrill J Fernando culminated with the ceremonial opening of the new Primary School at Holyrood Estate in Talawakelle by Mr. Merrill J Fernando on 15^th May along with Malik, Dilhan and of course young Amrit. Hon. V Radahkirishnan – former Provincial Minster of Education who along with Dilhan laid the foundation stone for this school on 21^st November 2009 was also present in his capacity as Member of Parliament for the Nuwara Eliya district and formally took over the keys of the school from Mr. Fernando and handed over them to the Principal of the school. This modern and spacious facility with 5 class room/cum auditorium and teachers room with adequate toilets for girls and boys will replace the existing 69 year old one room school for nearly 197 students in Grades 1 – 5. The Minister expressed his sincere thanks to the Foundation for its magnanimous donation of this school especially with a view to improve the quality of education amongst the plantation children, which amply demonstrates the true meaning of “business is a matter of human service”. The school design was done in house by the MJF CF team which was highly commended by the Minister and suggested that this design must be replicated in other government funded new primary schools in the future.

On the same day the Foundation also launched a new special English and Maths education project for 25 schools in Division 2 of Nuwara Eliya Education zone. The main objective of this project is to enhance the achievement levels at the GCE O/L examination in Maths and English. Nearly 6000 students in Grades 6 – 10 from the selected 25 schools inclusive of 1050 students who will be sitting the GCE O/L exam in December 2010 will be benefited from this project, which is supported by Noramix Group of Norway – a close associate and distributor of Dilmah tea in Norway.

Earlier on 8^th May, Mr. Fernando handed over SEP grants to 12 beneficiaries of the St. Vincent Paul Society at the St. Mary’s Church at Mattakkuliya to inaugurate the 1^st phase of the SEP project. The children of this society had been supported by the Foundation with a nutritional improvement programme for the past 8 years.

Mr. Merrill J Fernando along with Malik, Kimarli and Dilhan laid the foundation stone for the expansion project of the Saddhasarana – MJF Home for the Elders in Pitipana a small village close to Mr. Merrill J Fernando’s birth place in Negombo on 8^th May. This elder’s home currently provides residential facilities for 5 elderly women and when the new wing is completed by October this year, it could accommodate another 22 inmates.

Diri Daru Piyasa – A Centre for Down Syndrome Children was declared open by the Founder Settlor Mr. Merrill J Fernando on 7^th May, at the MJF Centre at Moratuwa – A Centre for dignity with empowerment for the under privileged,   along with all the trustees of the Foundation including Mr. Selvam Mather, Mr. Rajan Asirwatham and Mr. K Ravindran and handed over the Centre to the Chairperson of Diri Daru Piyasa Ms. Miranda Hemalatha. This centre will provide learning in English, Music, Dance, IT, Sewing, Cookery etc., for nearly 50 Down Syndrome children so as to empower these children to be on their own and be a active member of the family in particular  and society in general by utilizing their differently able skills, ability and enthusiasm.  Earlier in the day the children who will make use of this facility accorded a warm welcome to Mr. Merrill J Fernando and all the invitees and they too sang happy birthday to him whist cutting the birthday cake.

The Foundation launched several new projects to coincide with the 80^th birthday of its Founder and Settlor Mr. Merrill J Fernando which fell on 6^th May 2010. The Foundation team together with all its stakeholders and the MJF Kids wishes Mr. Merrill J Fernando many more years of good health and happiness and the strength to bring about a change in the lives of many more less fortunate, under privileged and the differently able.

1. The MJF Challenge Trophy Cricket match for the blind was played at the NCC Grounds in Colombo on 6^th May between the School for the Deaf & Blind Monaragala and the Rajarata Jayaviru Deaf & Blind Sport Club Anuradhapura. The Monaragala team won the match handsomely by over 200 runs and carried away the trophy for the 3^rd consecutive year in a row. The lads from Monaragala scored 320 runs in 25 overs with an outstanding knock of 124 from the skipper Chaminda Deshapriya. He also won the best player of the match for B3 category.  Incidentally Deshapriya also became the 1^st student from the School for the Deaf & Blind Monaragala to gain admission to a University and is reading for his Arts degree at the Ruhuna University. The Foundation which is closely associated with the development of the School for the Deaf & Blind Monaragala for the past 5 years awarded a scholarship to Deshapriya to continue his University studies for the next 3 years. All awards and the scholarships were presented by the Settlor Merrill J Fernando along with the other Trustees of the Foundation – Himedra, Minnet, Malik and Dilhan. The children from the School for the Deaf & Blind sang Happy Birthday Chairman just prior to the presentation of awards.

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.