The Foundation of Goodness is a holistic rural development model that seeks to bridge the urban-rural divide in Sri Lanka via 10 empowerment divisions across 850+ villages island-wide, and reached over 135,000+ beneficiaries in 2023 alone by way of 20 Empowerment Centres, free of cost.
For Our Fathers – Father’s Day 2020
Pursuing Pre-School Education – 14 Years of Lahiru Pre-School
June 10, 2020
Poson Poya Day Celebrations
June 24, 2020
Many of us think of our Father fondly; distant (or not so distant) memories from childhood of learning to ride a bicycle or passing secret sweets so your Mother wouldn’t see. As we grow older, we also learn to respect him for his hard work, which was giving you the comforts of life. You may also distinctly remember wanting to make him proud. It is much later in life that we truly appreciate the role of a Father/ Father figure. The strength and perseverance needed to help keep a family safe and healthy. The sacrifice needed to hide your problems and put on a brave face, often goes unappreciated.
This Father’s Day, under the theme “For Our Fathers – Appreciation From The Heart” we bring to light the Fathers of rural Sri Lanka, through the eyes of our beneficiaries. From our Village Heartbeat Empowerment Centres in the North all the way to the South of the island, the girls and boys of rural Sri Lanka expressed love and gratitude for all the work their Fathers do for them. The poem and essays submitted to us showed that many of these Fathers were daily wage earners, while others were policemen, farmers and fishermen all working hard in their own way to provide for their families. Below are examples of translations from the poems and essays, which were written in Sinhalese and Tamil.
“My father works in the Sri Lanka Police. His name is B. Sanath Perera. I’m so proud of him. It is because he is protecting not only our family but also the whole country. My father was a man who, despite the sunlight and rain, worked to protect the country and to save our country from thirty years of war. My father does a great service day and night to protect the people of the country from the coronavirus. Dad had been with us for a while. He spent most of his time at work. It is for the protection of all the people of my country. I am so proud of my father.”
– Dulanjana Madushan Perera (VHE – Rathgama)
My father’s name was Jayantha. His occupation is fishing. Dad takes great care of us and provides us with food and clothing and nourishes us. He was very kind. He calls me good and helps me to be a good child. Father often says that I am the most precious thing he has.
–G. Rashmi Sansala (VHE – Rathgama)
My father’s name is Maniyam. There are 5 members in our family 3 children along with my parents. My father is a labour. He educates us by doing labour work. My father will buy us whatever we want. One day I asked my father that I need to go to class but the class is far away and it is very hard for me to go there by walk. If I have a bicycle it will be easy for me to go to class. My father said ok and next day he took me to the Kilinochchi town and asked me about my choice among the bicycles available there and bought me a new bicycle. That was my happiest moment with my father. He is very kind and lovable to us. Whenever we commit a mistake he advises us and guide us to go in the right way. He always asks us to study well and he behaves like a friend with us. I love my father very much.
–M.Sumithira (Grade 11)
As we celebrate Father’s Day on the 21st of June this year, we hope fathers, father figures and single parents everywhere know that their hard-work and sacrifice is appreciated endlessly!
