October 1st – Children’s and Elders’ Day

Sri Lanka celebrated both Children’s and Elders’ Day on the 1st of October and here at FoG we found a variety of way to celebrate the special occasions, even though we believe doing our utmost for both children and elders is  a daily objective, it is always nice to have one day to openly our love and appreciation.

We at the Foundation of Goodness believe that how we treat our children today, shapes the kind of adult they become and impacts the world that they mold tomorrow.

Every child has so much potential locked within them but not everyone has the opportunity to unlock these gifts.

That is why we always work so hard to bring resources and opportunities to kids from under-served communities so as to give them the best possible chance to realise their dreams and succeed in life, whether it is through educational programmes, sports or a number of other life enrichments programmes and courses teaching them important soft skills such has leadership, confidence and teamwork while also developing important values like kindness, compassion and altruism through programmes such as the Children’s Good Values Initiative.

At the same time we feel it is absolutely important to value and give due respect to the elderly who have accrued a much  experience over the years and have a great deal to share with the rest of the world about their trails, tribulations, success, failures and the lessons  they learnt along the journey of life.

Unfortunately we see many elderly persons estranged from their families, left to feel rather neglected and alienated from society within the confines of care homes.

The Foundation of Goodness Medical Centre and Community Psycho-social staff pay regular visits to local elder’s homes to provide the necessary care and we also encourage our students to pay regular visits to show their love and care to the elders, and let them feel that they are still a part of society and have not been forgotten or overlooked.

These visits are especially poignant as they help the elders feel included and loved within their community during a time that is meant to be about family and celebration, dispelling any loneliness they may feel and it also helps the kids look at the world from a different point of view.

In commemoration of this day students from FoG’s Rathgama, Akurala and Kahawa Children’s Goodness Clubs had organised special programmes including fun games, singing and dancing. At the same time, the Oddusuddan VHE Centre in Mullaitivu organised a special event to help and support three elderly ladies who had lost their homes and families during the years of civil conflict and now struggles to make a living on their own.

04th October 2018