AVIVA dental clinic ready to open up and say ‘ah’

The AVIVA sponsored dental clinic is now open and providing free dental care to the Seenigama region as part of the
comprehensive medical centre which forms part of the MCC Centre of Excellence at the Foundation of Goodness (FoG).
The dental clinic offers basic dental care, including fillings, extractions, cleaning, caps and general oral hygiene, and plans
to hold workshops on a regular basis to provide local residents with information on how to look after their teeth.

Currently staffed by a qualified nurse and a dentist, the dental clinic is fully equipped with modern equipment and
medications. For residents of Seenigama and neighboring villages, the dental clinic is a fantastic opportunity to gain access
to a service that is often out of reach for the poverty stricken or rurally isolated. Already almost twenty people visit the
clinic each day it’s open, and many have commented on the high quality of care they’ve received.

FoG is delighted to be able to provide such a facility for the region, with thanks to the support of AVIVA. Founder and
Trustee Kushil Gunasekera praised the AVIVA Corporate and Social Responsibility program, which has facilitated a long and
fruitful relationship with the village.

“The dental clinic at the MCC Centre of Excellence will be of immense benefit to the region. Dental care is an often
neglected but vitally important part of people’s well being, and we are very grateful to AVIVA for allowing us to get the
project up and running,” Mr Gunasekera said.

AVIVA is the world’s sixth-largest insurance group, and the largest in the United Kingdom. WNS Global Services,
contracted by AVIVA (the holding company of Norwich UnionInsurance in the UK), has supported FoG since the devastating
2004 tsunami.

AVIVA’s first project was to design and co-ordinate an exemplary project in Seenigama - the construction of a model
village called 'AVIVA Village' which consists of ten houses,a grocery store, a stylish community centre, Seenigama’s first
internet café, a library, a maternity clinic and a rural bank. Since then, AVIVA has continued to provide support for the
village through workshops and programs such as an internet project for children under 16, and an annual WNS Challenge
Trophy where WNS staff plays local netball and cricket teams. They also arrange regular free screenings of Singhalese
movies.

AVIVA’s funding of the dental clinic includes equipment, instruments, disposal systems, electrical and plumbing, storage,
signage, computer equipment and more. They may also consider providing ongoing support for the operational costs of the
clinic, in the same way they continue their involvement with AVIVA village.

For the people of Seenigama and the surrounding areas, such help makes an immense difference as the services provided
will help to elevate their standard of health – with many positive flow-on effects to their standard of living.As Mr
Gunasekera explained, long term donors such as AVIVA have provided the path to recover post tsunami – and shown the
way to the future.

“It is such an amazing act of generosity from AVIVA and I believe it has enabled us to provide a unique service in such a
small village and its region. We’re very proud to be associated with such a well respected and caring organisation, and we
look forward to future endeavors”, he said.