EQUITABLE ENDOWMENTS

Although the tsunami tragically swept away homes, lives and belongings, it did so indiscriminately, as nature does, and so our hearts should give. One particular NGO that we have worked very closely with over the last year is a classic example of a truly egalitarian charity that provides support to disadvantaged children and families equally, tsunami-affected or not.

When the Foundation of Goodness first came into contact with the reputable Swiss NGO, Children Action, it was originally decided that Children Action could not work with us because the Foundation did not have enough donors. However, destiny decided otherwise and after a thorough audit by the French SGS Supervision Company (www.sgs.com), we were blessed to receive their funding. Since that time, our relationship with Children Action has blossomed considerably and has been taken to new levels.

Initially, Children Action offered their assistance by way of funding the construction of 150 brand new homes for tsunami-displaced families in the area. But Children Action did not only provide houses to these needy families; they also provided the special touches that turn a house into a home - modern amenities, essential household items, landscaped gardens, electricity and running water. Altogether, this extremely generous contribution from Children Action of 150 homes with extras marked the greatest single donation that the Foundation had ever received.

Representing Children Action, Bernard Sabrier and Stephanie Kolly came to Sri Lanka in late 2005 to view the progress of this work and to meet the most grateful recipient families. Bernard's words in an email to Kushil shortly after their trip sums up their visit: "...it was a fantastic experience for us to share those 3 days with you and your team. Meeting the families and visiting each home was not a pain but an enlighting experience. I have to admit that of all the projects we are doing, this one is a truly emotional one. When you give a house to a family it is another story than doing surgery... so we learned." But the experience was emotional and enriching for both sides. Villagers staged elborate celebrations to welcome their special Children Action guests and could not express their heartfelt appreciation enough.

What with the great success of the construction of the 150 homes, Children Action felt it worthwhile to continue their new partnership with the Foundation of Goodness. Once it was clear that a great number of tsunami-displaced families had been taken care of in terms of permanent housing, Children Action's focus switched to familes who had been slightly affected by the tsunami - those with partly-damaged homes. This was a remarkably noble decision since partly-damaged homes have long been an area of neglect when it comes to tsunami rebuilding work.

After many months of arduous testing by a specially sourced Technical Officer, 187 homes were determined as falling under the "damaged" category. And Children Action pledged to assist every single one of these families, spread throughout a number of villages in the region. These families have been suffering for over one and a half years now and thanks to Children Action, these families will suffer no more.

Most recently, Children Action has offered to take their generosity a step further by recognising that many families, though not affected by the tsunami, are nevertheless in great need of our assistance in terms of housing, water, sanitation and electricity. So far, they are looking into building new homes for 15 remote village families living in mud-brick homes, without proper sanitation and other facilities. What's more, in line with their mandate to assist disadvantaged children, Children Action also hopes to assist with the Paediatric section of the new Rainbow Clinic, as part of the soon-to-be constructed Centre of Excellence in Seenigama.

What a privilege to be associated with such a reputable and generous NGO that so clearly demonstrates the quality of unconditional compassion. We cannot thank Children Action enough for the amazing impact that they have had on our region and are so proud to have them as a partner organisation to the Foundation of Goodness - for now and in the future.

To view or download the article composed by Children Action regarding their recent time in the villages, please click here.

Children Action is a Swiss charitable foundation committed to assisting disadvantaged children worldwide and providing positive changes to their lives. For more information, please visit their website: www.childrenaction.org