Inner Wheel Club stalwart receives international recognition for her work
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Inner Wheel Club stalwart Mala Weerasekere was recognized for her outstanding contribution to society when she was awarded the prestigious Margaret Golding Award recently by International Inner Wheel President, Oluyemisi Alatise who flew down to Sri Lanka especially for the occasion.
“Having been in Inner Wheel for over 50 years, it has given me strength and inspiration and a meaning of togetherness and fulfillment. Our meetings bring joy and laughter and make us one family of sisters. It takes 100 men to make an encampment – it takes one woman to make a home,” said Mrs Weerasekere speaking at the occasion.
Born to a family of social workers and philanthropists, Mala, the great granddaughter of Mudaliyar Don Carolis Hewavitarne and the grand niece of Anagarika Dharmapala (Don David Hewavitarne), went on to become an astute businesswoman as well as a benevolent philanthropist whose generosity has benefitted thousands.
Mala learnt the fine art of business management under her father whilst working at the family firm, Don Carolis. As a result of Mala appealing to then President J. R. Jayawardene, the Parliamentary complex order scheduled to be given to Singapore, was instead given to Sri Lankan carpenters, resulting in both our people and the country benefitting.
What was more important was what she learnt about the lives of the workforce. Together with her husband, they converted Sinha Weerasekere’s ancestral home into a home for the abandoned girl child, naming it the Peter Weerasekere Home after Sinha’s father. Today it houses 85 children whose ages range from two weeks to 18 years and she personally supervises all aspects of the home and ensures the girls are prepared for the outside world when they leave the home at the age of 18. Even thereafter she keeps in touch with them to ensure their wellbeing.
Amongst Mala’s many achievements is the setting up of a Dialysis Unit for Kurunegala’s Civil Hospital along with a 30 bed ward for which they provided two mammograms as well as a scanner.
Blessed with four children and eight grandchildren as well three great grand children, Mala is a great believer in the power of women!
“I believe women can make it happen. We can recognize, prepare, activate and together navigate. Nothing is impossible. Sukarno said a 1000 men can help win a war. I say give us 10 capable women and we lead the world.”