KPMG delegates take time out to visit village

Fifteen top KPMG Partners took time out from their packed schedules to visit Seenigama and see the lasting impact their organisation has had on the lives of residents who lost everything in the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami.

Here for a KPMG Middle East South Asia (MESA) Board meeting in Colombo, the delegates from Bahrain, Egypt, India, Kuwait, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, the UK, USA and Sri Lanka chose to make the six hour return journey to visit KPMG/LOLC village, a community of 50 houses sponsored by KPMG and Lanka Orix Leasing Company for families whose homes and belongings were destroyed by the wave.

The internationally renowned accounting firm made history for the Foundation when they added to funds raised by their UK staff to donate more than 80,000 GBP for constructing the new homes. This unique project created the only KPMG village in the world.

Senior Partner of KPMG Ford Rhodes Thorton & Co Sri Lanka, Mr Rajan Asirwatham, described the visit to as extremely uplifting for the delegates.

‘They found it incredible to see the village, they had never imagined something like this,’ he said.

‘They could see for themselves that in a small way KPMG has done something to alleviate the misery of those affected by the tsunami.’

Though the delegates had just one day scheduled to visit Sri Lanka for the Board meeting, they chose to come earlier and visit the village, with UK delegate Mike Gabriel driving straight from Colombo airport to Seenigama.

The Foundation of Goodness’s Housing Committee and Children’s Club showed the visitors just how much their generosity is appreciated with a warm Sri Lankan welcome, including traditional dancing, Buddhist ceremonies and a presentation to show the village’s progress.

The guests also heard first hand the amazing difference their donations have made for people devastated by their losses and facing extreme difficulties in rebuilding their lives - until the generosity of donors gave them the opportunity for a better future.

KPMG has a long history of supporting the Foundation. As well as sponsoring construction of the village, they provide auditing services for the organisation free of charge each year.

The Foundation has also been honoured by a visit from International Chairman of KPMG Sir Mike Rake and his wife, who traveled from the UK to officially open the village last year. Other visitors from KPMG have since made donations for tables and chairs, a reading room and more.

The MESA delegates and observers who made this latest visit now know how much their donations have improved the lives of the KPMG village residents. As Mr Asirwatham explains, while the journey was fleeting, the memories will remain.

‘The delegates can now identify and see what the money was donated for. They were very happy to see something tangible and concrete for the money they collected,’ he said.

The Foundation of Goodness Housing Committee and residents of KPMG/LOLC village thank the delegates for their visit.

Mr Vijay Malhotra - Chairman, MESA Region
Mr Jamal Fakhro - Senior Partner, KPMG Bahrain
Mr Masoud Naqvi - Senior Partner, KPMG Pakistan
Mr Russel Perera - Senior Partner & Partner, KPMG India
Mr Abdullah Al Fozan – Partner, Saudi Arabia
Mr Aidan Walsh - Partner, KPMG USA
Mr Mike Gabriel - Partner, KPMG UK
Mr Amir Abbasi - Regional Exec. Off., KPMG MESA
Mr Safi Al Mutawa - Senior Partner, KPMG Kuwait
Mrs Safi Al Mutawa & family
Mr Adeeb Khan - Partner, KPMG Bangladesh
Mr Choudhry - Senior Partner, KPMG Bangladesh
Mr Rajan Asirwatham - Senior Partner, KPMG Sri Lanka
Mr Reyaz Mihular - Partner, KPMG Sri Lanka

KPMG to TREK Sri Lanka

KPMG is set to organise a fund raising trek in Sri Lanka that will bring approx. 100 volunteers from their UK office to undertake a sponsored walk.

While details are still being confirmed, the walk is scheduled for October 200. KPMG Sri Lanka has nominated the Seenigama KPMG Village to be included in the route. All money raised will go to charities in Sri Lanka.