Children’s Day was declared by the United Nations General Assembly, in 1954, to honour children globally, and to protect them from working long hours in dangerous circumstances and allow them access to an education. In Sri Lanka the 1st of October starts a month dedicated especially to children.

In honour of this, there are many special activities planned at various MJF Foundation centres and across various parts of the country. This year all our activities revolve around the concept of “Children expressing their thoughts” be it in the form of speech, drama, dance, art or sign-language. Plans are underway for a fun-filled time for children at the Moratuwa Centre in the Western Province as well as in the Vadamarachchi Divisional Secretariat in Point Pedro where the number of participants will top 600.

Apart from the usual fun and games, the activities in Moneragala have been designed to address, prevalent issues like child abuse. Done in collaboration with the police, involving 400 children from 33 schools and 40 pre-schools in the district, including the Subhagya School for the Hearing & Visually Impaired in Moneragala which the Foundation supports, this will help counter this serious issue to some degree.

In Point Pedro, nearly 600 children representing 44 schools in Vadamarachchi including the 400 Children of the MJF programme in Point Pedro will participate in a series of events and competitions such as poster art, Kolam, Bharatha Natyam, debating, poetry reading and speeches, expressing the voice of the kids within the current and future world context.

While we believe that just one out of 365 days is not adequate for a topic that essentially defines the future of humankind and the world at large, it is also a milestone for us to reflect and rethink of our contribution to this cause. With our philosophy of making business a matter of human service, we at Dilmah, believe that nurturing, caring, protecting and empowering our children is an essential part of our responsibility. This is why children are a core focus of the MJF Charitable Foundation, dedicated to their well being and upliftment.

Every day at over a hundred of our crèches and child development centres over 1,600 children of our workers are cared for. Meanwhile close to another 1,000 children are supported by the MJF Foundation centres in Moratuwa, Maligawatta, Peliyagoda, Siyabalanduwa and Point Pedro, sharing knowledge and inculcating disciplines and skills needed to meet the challenges of the future with confidence. In addition to this, our Plantation Sector School Development Programme supports over 1,500 children from our plantations.

These children receive much love, guidance as well as financial support by way of scholarships. We count lawyers, medical and engineering students among our scholarship receivers. Apart from these, there are innumerable children’s projects, supported by the MJF Foundation.

One day, our children will rule this world. Through the MJF Foundation, we try our best to let them realise their full potential; let them dream big, and grow up knowing that they have the knowledge and the courage to be the immense force that they are destined to be. The legacy we leave behind will be the greatness they will achieve one day, thanks to a strong foundation and loving confidence instilled in them by us.

You can find out more about our ongoing projects and activities planned for the month of October at www.mjffoundation.org