Marylebone Cricket Club
Collaboration With
The Foundation Of Goodness
– Seenigama, Sri Lanka

In 2007 post-tsunami the Marylebone Cricket Club sponsored the establishment of one of a kind MCC Centre of Excellence to serve the tsunami affected region by way of ten empowerment sectors including a medical centre and also developed a unique cricket venue with indoor nets incorporated in the main pavilion to promote the game of cricket in the rural sector.

Facilities of this kind is not available to the disadvantaged communities in rural areas and both these enterprising projects continue to make a huge difference in the lives of remote village children, youth, women and adults to make better progress. In essence 25,000 beneficiaries from over 45 villages in the Seenigama region take advantage of this training and caring facilities annually, free of cost, giving hope to a much brighter future managed by the Foundation of Goodness.

MCC Centre of Excellence in Seenigama

MCC being the most renowned cricket establishment has focused emphatically on the cricket development aspect by adding further value to award eleven scholarships over three years for very talented youngsters from quite a few schools that the Foundation of Goodness is associated with in the South/West of Sri Lanka.

MCC Scholarship Recipients

Thanks to the benevolent gesture these teenagers have proven themselves to be outstanding with two of them in particular namely; Ashan Pulina Tharanga and Tharindu Kaushal representing the Sri Lanka under 19 cricket team having toured India in September/October 2011 to compete in a quadrangular tournament consisting Australia, West Indies, India and Sri Lanka. They are both included in the Sri Lanka under 19 World Cup squad which is a great tribute to the MCC for the tremendous progress these cricketers have shown since receiving the MCC scholarships.

Ashan Pulina Tharanga also represents the premier Tamil Union Cricket and Athletic Club in Colombo in their under-23 team just completing a highly successful season with an impressive batting average of 53. He was also the Man of the tournament in the recently concluded Murali Cup 2011 under whose captaincy the Seenigama Foundation of Goodness Academy team won the inaugural tournament.

He lost both parents and has been an orphan since the age of eleven with the mother's demise in the tragic tsunami and the father three months later whilst fishing at sea. This being the case his performance has been phenomenal under such trying circumstances.

Pulina Tharanga receives the Murali Cup Man of the Tournament Award from the Chief Guest - Murali himself

Tharindu Kaushal on the other hand performed exceedingly well during the recently concluded Sri Lanka under-19 tour of India and is a fine prospect who has the potential to continue with this run of success.

U 19 Cricket Star Tharindu Kaushal

Many of the other cricketers sponsored were engaged in the Foundation of Goodness under-15 academy team tour of Malaysia where they excelled to win the KAF International under-15 Tournament on their inaugural tour of 2009 and runners-up 2010 and 2011.

This proves that with proper facilities, training and opportunities the enormous talent in the under developed communities can be harnessed to showcase their skill and talent leading up to the bigger stage.
These students also have the opportunity to learn English, IT, Skills Development, Goodness activities at the MCC Academic Centre of Excellence.

Match between the FOG Academy and a UK School Team in progress at the Sri Sumangala MCC Lords

The Foundation of Goodness is truly blessed to facilitate such initiatives sponsored by the Marylebone Cricket Club in making the real difference that we aspire to achieve by changing their lives for the better.

Indoor Practice Facilities at MCC Lords- Sri Sumangala college Hikkaduwa

Murali Cup - FOG Seenigama academy team in action

On behalf of all the beneficiaries who can now look to a productive future, the Foundation of Goodness wish to acknowledge with profound gratitude the wonderful contribution from the Marylebone Cricket Club which is extremely admirable and most praiseworthy.

We trust that the MCC would continue to succeed and prosper greatly.

"Giving is not the only thing, but kindness is everything"

06.12.2011