FoG’s 8th Village Heartbeat Empowerment Centre opens in Oddusuddan

Another landmark achievement for the Foundation of Goodness as our 8th Village Heartbeat Empowerment Centre is declared open in Oddusuddan, Mullaitivu District in the Northern Region with the kind sponsorship of SriLankan Cares, the CSR arm of national carrier SriLankan Airlines.

The Oddusuddan Village Heartbeat Empowerment Centre was developed at the same venue where the FoG Oddusuddan IT Centre once operated out of, and now it can serve as the nerve centre of the village, giving members of underprivileged rural communities access to skills that will enable them to develop to their full potential.

The centre provides opportunities that would otherwise not have been available due to lack of proper resources. All VHP centres include a library, children’s educational courses, women’s empowerment programmes and children’s/ youth activities.

This is FoG’s 2nd Centre to open in the North (the Mathagal Centre was opened in Jaffna in February 2017) and seeks to uplift the lives of villagers whose lives were adversely affected by decades of civil conflict.

Chairman of SriLankan Airlines Ajith Dias said: “We at SriLankan Airlines are extremely proud to lend a hand in securing a brighter future for these aspiring young men and women. Our CSR arm has contributed to a large number of community development activities since its inception in 2003. We are dedicated to improving the areas of health, education and talent of those who do not have the means of accomplishing their dreams. With the Village Heartbeat Project, we are one step closer to making their dreams a reality.”

Founder/ Chief Trustee of the Foundation of Goodness, Kushil Gunasekera stated: “The Village Heartbeat Project is aimed at benefiting the rural community and alleviating poverty by empowering the youth of rural areas. It has been a wonderful journey working with SriLankan Cares to make this project tangible. Our country is blessed with amazing talent and skill in the rural sector which we continue to harness for the greater development of our Nation. We look forward to working with them in future endeavours.”

The Centre was declared open by SriLankan Airlines’ Head of Human Resources and Corporate Social Responsibility, Pradeepa Kekulawala, along with the Foundation Founder/ Chief Trustee Kushil Gunasekera.

SriLankan’s Head of Human Resources and Corporate Social Responsibility, Pradeepa Kekulawala also shared his thoughts on the success of the project. “SriLankan Cares has always been in the frontline of the country’s charity organizations. Children are the rightful owners of our future, and they should be given all the support and care that they require to grow into driven citizens who will take this country forward. Sri Lanka has an adolescent population of more than three million. However, greater levels of investment in education and youth training are needed, especially for higher levels of skills and knowledge. Such efforts can contribute towards breaking the root causes of poverty and discrimination and significantly contribute to the growth of Sri Lanka’s economy. The energy, creativity and free-spirit of young people can be channelled to make a positive impact in society.”

Our heartfelt thanks goes to SriLankan Cares who raised funding for the construction, equipping and maintenance of the Centre, thereby enabling us to uplift the lives of impoverished but talented villagers in the Kilinochchi Region.

21st September 2017