12th Village Heartbeat Empowerment Centre

The Foundation of Goodness is proud to announce the opening of our 12th Village Heartbeat Empowerment Centre in Sisirawatte-Dambulla, located in the Matale District, in collaboration with our long standing supporters, Tokyo Cement Co. (Lanka) PLC.

The facility, which became the 12th Village Heartbeat Empowerment project of the Foundation of Goodness, was declared open by Dr. Harsha Cabral PC – Chairman, together with Mr. S.R. Gnanam – Managing Director of the Tokyo Cement Group and Mr. Kushil Gunasekera, Founder/Chief Trustee of the Foundation of Goodness.  

The A.Y.S. Gnanam Village Heartbeat Empowerment Centre situated in Sisirawatte, Dambulla, will provide free educational support on subjects such as Science, Mathematics, IT, English, Tamil, and Traditional Dancing, for Primary to Grade 5 students from low-income families.  In addition to educational support for school children, other programs carried out at the Centre will include life skills & values, vocational training and sports, to empower the youth in the area for better employment opportunities.  As it progresses, the Centre will offer training programs on widely sought-after vocational courses for youth, such as hospitality, agriculture, bakery, electrical wiring, CCTV installation, and mobile repairing.  Women empowerment is a key focus of the Village Heartbeat concept, and as such the Centre also conducts professional courses on dressmaking, cookery, and beauty culture. 

The A.Y.S. Gnanam Village Heartbeat Empowerment Centre addresses much-needed social upliftment requirements of the rural communities in Dambulla – Kandalama areas.  People living in the remote villages of Rathmalgahaela, Athuparayaya, Pahalawewa, Yakuragala North, Yakuragala South, Wilhatha and Kandalama Grama Niladhari Divisions will benefit from the initiative. Over 750 families, who’s main livelihood is farming and agriculture related industries, can now utilize the facility to improve their learning opportunities and expand the horizons of their children.  So far, more than 800 beneficiaries from various age categories are participating in the multiple skills development courses at the Centre, which stands proof of the value it creates for people over time.

This Centre will join our 11 other Village Heartbeat Empowerment Centres situated across the island  empowering over 6000 rural Sri Lankans every year, by way of a variety of empowerment courses. These Centres provide the exposure, facilities and opportunities for rural Sri Lankans to truly tap into their true potential.

The A.Y.S. Gnanam Village Heartbeat Empowerment Centre in Dambulla marks the culmination of our fruitful partnership with Tokyo Cement Group, built over the years with mutual trust and unstinting commitment to rural development. The Tokyo Cement Group has over the years partnered with FoG numerous times across a variety of development activities including rural sports development, special needs, ocean conservation and solar power.