The Foundation of Goodness is a holistic rural development model that seeks to bridge the urban-rural divide in Sri Lanka via 10 empowerment divisions across 850+ villages island-wide, and reached over 135,000+ beneficiaries in 2023 alone by way of 20 Empowerment Centres, free of cost.
Accessible Tourism for All – Handicapped Scuba Diving in Seenigama!
Socio-emotional Learning Session at Seenigama
December 1, 2022
2021 O/L Success Stories from VHE Centres!
December 8, 2022
“Aerodynamically, the bumblebee shouldn’t be able to fly, but the bumblebee doesn’t know that, so it goes on flying anyway” – Mary Kay Ash
The Foundation of Goodness has been in the forefront of promoting inclusivity and ensuring that marginalized communities like those with special needs are treated with equality and respect for their interests and skills, opening up new avenues for them to conquer the world.
Whilst having initiated numerous projects over the years towards this worthy cause, most recently FoG was granted the opportunity to validate our Dive for Good Centre in Seenigama, in terms of ocean tourism targeting the global special needs community. The Ocean Tourism Training on Certification for Handicap Scuba Divers/ Tourists and Ocean Literacy was conducted by the Handicapped Scuba Association (HSA), which is based in California, USA.
HSA Course Director Mark Rausch along with Gabriel Eelesie, conducted the four-day training session for our divers last week. Following the successful completion of the training programme, our divers will be awarded a certification, which in turn empowers the Dive for Good Centre to make the necessary implementations in order to cater to the special needs community and tourists in general. This programme is part and parcel of the United Nations’ effort to promote accessible tourism for all.
The HSA training was a great platform for our Instructors, Assistant Instructors, Dive Masters and all certified divers at the Dive for Good Centre to gain knowledge, confidence and expertise to welcome, train and dive safely with individuals who have a wide range of disabilities, seen or unseen.
Once Sri Lanka secures the HSPA certification, the Dive for Good Centre will also be listed on the global market that caters to tourists with special needs so that they could enrich their lives through scuba diving and ocean wellness!
As an advocate for promoting inclusivity & accessibility for all, the FoG strives to empower the special needs community so that no form of disability can deprive them of equal opportunities. Our ‘FINDING DREAMS Special Needs Unit’ bears testament to this admirable cause.
