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Saturday, 11 July 2015 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
Investor and social worker Anura Fernando has recently escalated his community development work in Nikaweratiya, in the Kurunegala district by establishing an organisation – Anura Fernando Foundation, which handles all his charity work in the region. All meritorious activities Anura used to do are now channelled through the Anura Fernando Foundation, a registered non-profitable venture aimed at poverty alleviation and livelihood development.
Anura considers poverty as the biggest barrier to prosperity followed by lack of resources and opportunities, feelings of being marginalised from various support systems including education, economic benefits, culture, society, and diminished feelings of empowerment. “Poverty elimination is a key concern of all Sri Lankans who are interested in the development. Nikaweratiya being one of the poorest areas in the country; my foundation has started to support the villagers with a diverse range of reliefs facilities and lending a hand to enhance their living conditions and livelihood development,” said Anura Fernando who has roots in Nikaweratiya compared to many others visiting the rural from the city to help the needy.
During the recent past the Anura Fernando Foundation has donated the chairs for the regional centre for teacher’s training and all schools with furniture requirement and has distributed 500 packs containing exercise books and other utensils required for schools for a period of one year among the carefully selected needy students. According to Anura, each pack would cost around Rs. 4,000 and he targets at least 1,000 students to benefit from these donations before the end of this year.
Building new houses replacing the damaged from wild elephant attacks, providing of instruments including public addressing systems, sheds, chairs required for village level societies, and most importantly establishing industry level water filters to provide drinking water to the entire village by filtering harmful substances in the rural water leading to kidney failure. “Keenawa, Pallugolla, and Galkadawala temples had issues with road access. The Foundation was able to build them roads enabling vehicle access. During the recent Poson Poya, we took 400 devotees to Anuradhapura and Mihinthale. Not only do we help the elders; we focus on the youth development as well providing them with necessary skills and training enhancing their employability,” added Fernando.
