Dialog Foundation Initiates Long Term Educational Support for Children Impacted by the Easter Sunday Incident in Batticaloa

(L-R) Rev. Roshan Mahesan, Pastor of Zion Church, Supun Weerasinghe, Group Chief Executive – Dialog Axiata PLC, Chamindha Rajakaruna (Attorney-at-Law), Executive Director at Sarvodaya and Shayam Majeed, Group Chief Corporate Officer – Dialog Axiata PLC.

Project initiated by ‘Rally to Care’ from Dialog Foundation

The Rally to Care initiative by Dialog Foundation, continued its relief efforts on 9th June 2019, by providing long-term educational support for children affected by the tragic incidents of Easter Sunday at Zion Church, Batticaloa.

The relief disbursement activities were initiated in Batticaloa on 9th June 2019 at a temporary location being used by the Zion Church; which is currently under reconstruction, following the tragic events. Supun Weerasinghe, Group Chief Executive of Dialog Axiata PLC, representing the Rally to Care initiative by the Dialog Foundation, pledged to support the relief efforts in providing long-term educational support for affected 71 children in Batticaloa until the age of 19. Furthermore, 71 school bags with stationary that were donated by the Executive Committee of Colombo Model United Nations 2019, were disbursed to the affected children.

Complete eye check-ups were conducted for the affected by Vision Care, with required prescriptions for spectacles being provided on the same day, following which, the prescribed spectacles will be distributed free of charge by Vision Care.

Sarvodaya, Sri Lanka’s most broadly embedded community-based development organisation network engaged in relief efforts, peace building and welfare in the country, will oversee coordination and on-ground execution of the relief disbursement in the Eastern Province. In attendance during the commencement of relief activities in Batticaloa were the Rev. Roshan Mahesan, Pastor of Zion Church, G. Kumarasiri, ASP Batticaloa, Shayam Majeed, Group Chief Corporate Officer, Dialog Axiata PLC, and representatives of Sarvodaya including Chamindha Rajakaruna (Attorney-at-Law), Executive Director and Ravindra Ariyawickrama, Director – Field Operations.

The relief disbursement in Batticaloa by Rally to Care follows the initiation of the Life Healing Centre in Katuwapitiya, which was set up to provide psychosocial rehabilitation for affected families through its team of certified counsellors. The provision of educational support and medical check-ups are were also conducted in Katuwapitiya.

The Rally to Care initiative together with its partners World Vision Lanka, Sarvodaya, My Doctor, Vision Care and Ratmalana Audiology Centre, will continue its relief disbursement efforts and its mission of providing immediate term out-patient support for victims of physical disability & trauma, long-term educational support for 200+ children, and psychosocial rehabilitation for 250+ families that were affected by the tragic incidents of 21st April 2019. Visit http://dialogfoundation.org/rallytocare for more information and further updates on the Rally to Care initiative.