Foundation of Goodness (FOG) A Closer look at the MCC Centre of Excellence…….
View(s):In a previous issue, we came to understand an outline of the inspirational Non-Government Organization – Foundation of Goodness (FoG) which is committed to the development of the Seenigama region and contributes to the local community through a range of projects. The MCC Centre of Excellence plays a major role in co-coordinating most of the activities carried out by the Foundation.
The MCC Centre of Excellence is located in the heart of Seenigama situated at the ancestral property of FoG’s Founder and Chief Trustee Kushil Gunasekera. Before the tsunami, the ‘Lahiru’ villa (which means the “light rays of the sun”) served as a holiday getaway which also offered a village heart beat centre in the same premises focusing on English teaching, IT training, maternity clinic, children’s play park and a youth activity centre to develop the village making this experience a special one to the numerous visitors locally and globally. 
The tsunami destroyed the villa’s interior but left the walls standing, which enabled them to quickly transform it into a relief coordinating secretariat and village activity centre for tsunami relief. This centre helped thousands of villagers rebuild their lives from the devastation that was caused.
As a result of these incidents, Kushil decided that this villa would be the ideal place to build a strong Higher Learning Institute for the greater benefit of the village’s children and youth, and made the choice to donate his property in the name of charity, beginning a campaign to bring together socially aware donors to assist with making this goal a success.
The Foundation of Goodness (FOG), in affiliation with the well-known ‘Marylebone Cricket Club’ (MCC), founded the MCC Centre of Excellence in Seenigama, which presently serves as a landmark educational and wellness facility, providing opportunities to over 50 villages in the region of Seenigama to make the best of their own future through education, sport, healthcare and life skills development..
The MCC Centre was opened in the mid of 2007 as the central point for many of FOG’s empowerment projects. It encompass a medical centre, women’s empowerment and enterprise division, environment project management division, business skills development centre, modern computer lab, pre-school, Children’s Goodness activity clubs, shop goodness, a psycho-social unit carrying out the Re-building Lives Programme, English language training, Tamil language training , BPO Centre, MCC tsunami gallery, administration offices and accommodation for volunteers and visitors.
The Foundation of Goodness, using the MCC Centre of Excellence as its base of activity, has been able to provide scholarships to over 500 students, and graduate well over 4,000 students from its various IT, Business Skills and Women’s Empowerment classes, all provided free of cost. It also provides free medical support to upwards of 1500 people every month, including general medical care, dental care, pharmaceuticals and psycho-social support.
‘Greatness is not found in Possessions, Power or Positions; it is discovered in Goodness, Humility & Service to fellow men’ say the FOG administration with pride.
- Sujitha Miranda
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