I want to keep helping -
Sri Lanka trip opens Michael Clarke's eyes

By Malcolm Conn
As appeared in The Daily Telegraph on September 07, 2011

Michael Clarke wants to become more involved helping the less fortunate in Sri Lanka after visiting a village rebuilt after the tsunami and a centre for under-privileged children.

Before the first Test in Galle Clarke made a private visit to Seenigama, a village, community centre and sporting complex rebuilt with private international donations, including many from Australia, following the devastating 2004 tsunami.

The driving force is Muthiah Muralidaran’s manager, Kushil Gunasekera, who established the Foundation of Goodness at his once destroyed ancestral family home. The government has given Murali 50 acres in the north for the foundation to build another complex in the war-ravaged region, a project supported by Ian Botham.

Fellow cricket stars Kumar Sangakkara and Chaminda Vaas also support the foundation, Shane Warne lent his support following the tsunami and Clarke believes he can also help after what he’s seen.  “It’s amazing to see how its’ transformed because if you have a look at the photos on the wall of what happened when the Tsunami hit, you cannot imagine the facility being what it is today,” he said.

“It’s amazing firstly how much damage the tsunami caused.  When you read about it, hear about it, watch it on the news back in Australia, you see horrible damage but actually seeing it firsthand it’s unbelievable. What they’ve done to give kids an opportunity is amazing. It’s something that I was very grateful to have an opportunity to go and see. Hopefully I’ll continue to do some stuff with them whether it is going to visit them in Sri Lanka or coming here when I’ve got some time off to come and help out. I think Murali has done some fantastic work for them as well. He’s their major ambassador and he puts so much time and energy into see people have an opportunity in life.”

The entire team visited a Child Action Lanka centre for underprivileged children on Tuesday.

“Some of these kids live on the streets with their parents. Their parents have got no job, no money, no clothes in some cases,” Clarke said. “If there’s any way that this team can help, I think it’s important that we do that for us to give back. It shows you how other people live and shows you how lucky you are. It’s probably something I’d like to see us do a lot more of. You don’t realize how you can put so many smiles on kids faces because you’re so focused on playing good cricket as a team, performing as an individual, getting to training on time, ticking all the boxes to get prepared for a game. Then you go to a day like yesterday, or what I did before the first Test and kids just love seeing you.”

“Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.”
-Leo Buscaglia

20.09.2011