About the Senahasa Trust
The founders of the Trust have been working informally together
for a number of years on local community projects in Sri Lanka.
Following the Tsunami the scale of our work has grown significantly.
To deal with this more effectively and to demonstrate our long-term
commitment, we are now a registered charity.
The Trustees
Kumu Ruvigny, our Chairman, was born in Sri Lanka
though has lived in England since she was seven. Having worked as
a Chartered Accountant for many years, she has had her own marketing
consultancy and is a magistrate.
She maintains strong links with her large extended family, who
are established professionals in Sri Lanka. It is through these
links that we are able to work on the ground so effectively with
the local people and really get things done.
Ros Morrill is a long standing friends and colleague
of Kumu's, having met at Price Waterhouse where they qualified and
worked as Chartered Accountants.
Lucy Ratnatunga trained as a nurse at St Bartholomew’s
Hospital, London and is married to a Sri Lankan. She has visited
the country regularly, with her family, over the past 20 years.
She first became involved in Sri Lankan charities in 1991, collecting
clothing, books and toys to send out to the Lanka Mahila Samithi
and has also been involved in fund-raising for the water tank restoration
projects.
The team in Sri Lanka
Carmen Ratnatunga, who has worked on charitable
projects in Sri Lanka for 15 years, leads our team on the ground.
She has an extensive network of contacts with government advisors
and other professionals, and strong links with local priests and
community leaders.
Carmen is supported by:
- Harsha Seneviratne, Professor of Obstetrics
& Gynaecology, Colombo, for healthcare projects
- Dr Ranjit Galappatti, a senior consultant
in Hydraulics, for construction and water projects
- Dr Janaki Galappatti, former vice principal
of Ladies College, Colombo, for education projects
- Priyani Ratnatunga, Principal VP at Bechtel,
for project set up and management
Frequently Asked Questions
How can you make a difference when you
are so small in comparison to government agencies?
We are in the strong position of having people on the ground
that speak the language and can really understand the needs of local
communities. We can address problems on a community by community
basis. Once needs are identified, and fund allocated, our team on
the ground monitor the projects from start to finish and after.
We make sure things get done and follow up to make sure that benefits
are on-going..
Which geographic areas are you focussing your support at the moment?
Why?
We are initially working in two of the worst hit areas in Sri
Lanka – the Galle District in the south west and the Hambantota
District in the south east. Both are densely populated regions and
so the impact of the Tsunami has been immense. We are also working
in a non-Tsunami area, Amparai in the Eastern part of the island.
Rural communities here are extremely poor and have traditionally
not had much help.
How do you know the money is being used for
the purpose for which it is intended?
Payments are made in stages. Our team on the ground monitor
a project’s progress closely to ensure that each stage is
complete before further funds are released. There is also regular,
almost daily, feedback to Kumu in London.
What feedback is there for donors?
There will be regular newsletters for donors with feedback on
all the projects we are funding. You will be able to see how your
gift is benefiting the people in Sri Lanka. Schools will receive
tailored, user-friendly feedback on each project they sponsor. The
website will also update progress regularly.
How can I make a donation?
You can send a cheque to the Senahasa
Trust or visit Justgiving .com to make a donation on-line
What are your long-term objectives?
Rebuilding post Tsunami will take at least five years. In conjunction
with this work we intend to continue our work on restoring water
tanks (reservoirs) in the dry areas of Sri Lanka and continue our
work to support women and their families in rural communities. Beyond
that Senahasa will focus in rural communities, helping with education,
healthcare, housing and developing local economies. The people in
these communities have always looked after themselves and do not
want to be aid-dependent, so our long-term objective is to provide
a real turning point in their lives and help them become self-sufficient
once again.
Contact details
For more information or to discuss how you can support or get involved
with the work of the Senahasa Trust in Sri Lanka contact us by emailing
us at senahasa@gmail.comor
writing to:
Senahasa Trust
C/o Bircham Dyson Bell
50 Broadway
London
SW1H 0BL
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