Last weekend was one of our best on record as 16 families were recipients of beautiful new homes built through the Foundation of Goodness. The houses looked truly stunning, not only because of the wonderful design but also because a small garden has also been granted to every home. This has dramatically improved the look and feel of the village. The tsunami destroyed an enormous amount of vegetation in the area and the greenery from the gardens is certainly a beautiful thing for the area. The photos speak for themselves! Click here for more photos of the day.
The most moving part of the day was a reaction from an elderly man who had never before lived in a proper home. Prior to the tsunami, Sarathenis and his family lived in a small dark hut, after the tsunami, he had nothing.
Sarathenis was crying with utter gratitude and happiness because he never dreamt that at this late stage in his life he would be living in such wonderful conditions. He was profusely thanking Kushil, the donors and Foundation Staff for their combined efforts to make it happen, his reaction brought most of us to tears also.
We were honoured to have the presence of Mr and Mrs Ediriweera of New Zealand at the opening of 14 homes on Saturday. This generous couple was representing the many donors of the Sri Lanka Disaster Fund in New Zealand. In total there will be 19 homes plus shopping lists supported by the Sri Lanka Disaster Fund and this is an inspirational achievement.
Mr and Mrs Ediriweera were deeply touched by the day's events. So much so that at the end of the day, they reached into their own pocket and gave the Foundation what cash they had on them! This act of impromptu kindness truly demonstrates one of Kushil's favourite sayings; "nothing multiplies like kindness".
On Sunday, 2 more houses were opened by Mr Akhil Chandra, Chairman and Managing Director of GlaxoSmithKline. This organization raised funds through corporate and employee contributions. A crowd of over 15 staff came to Seenigama to meet the recipients and see the houses first hand. This group was impressed with the Foundation's work and the delighted to see their funds used in a timely and appropriate manner. |
