Awarded prestigious decoration from Govt. of Japan

Last Saturday, the Good Market at Colombo Race Course saw some like-minded people joining hands -- all for four-year-old Lisath Chathmin Nanayakkaara.

Lisath was diagnosed with a genetic condition called Thalassemia Major, when he was two months old and has been undergoing blood transfusions every fortnight since then. The only permanent solution to this condition is a bone marrow transplantation.

The event, Help Lisath Live - a new life, saw performances by popular singers Lahiru Perera, Dushyanth Weeraman, Stephanie Siriwardane and bands Kurumba and Magic Box Mix Up. The amount collected, which was about Rs 200,000 will go to the charity fund for Lisath’s bone marrow transplantation, which will be done at the Rajiv Gandhi Hospital, India.

Ghedora-Connects, a team that aims to voice the cause of the voiceless was behind the fund-raiser. The team started with a facebook page made up by a few people from Colombo, who were trying to make a change in whatever possible way they can. But this small charitable community outfit has already accomplished many fundraising charity programmes.

“We had realized that many individuals want to help others more but they don’t have time or a reliable source to do so. Most people would rather help smaller projects that are being personally monitored. This is exactly what we do with our small team,” said Sugala Senanayake, of Ghedora-Connects.

Lisath is an only child and his mother Erandhika Dayaratne has been bravely battling to keep him going.

The total cost of this operation along with the post surgery recovery period of one month comes to a total of INR 25 lakhs. Currently Erandhika needs Rs1.5 million for the transplant surgery.

For more information on how to help Lisath, please call 072 8533014 or email Sugala on sugarlah87@gmail.com. She will be able to direct you to Lisath’s doctor at Rajiv Gandhi Hosptial, India.

The prestigious decoration “The Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Rays” conferred by the Emperor and the Government of Japan, was awarded to Bertie G. Kulatilake, Vice Patron of the Japan Sri Lanka Technical and Cultural Association (Jasteca) by the Ambassador for Japan in Sri Lanka Kenichi Suganuma at a ceremony held recently at his official residence.

This award was in recognition of Mr. Kulatilake’s invaluable contribution to foster friendship and goodwill between the two countries and for his selfless endeavors to promote Japanese management systems and the transfer of Japanese technology to Sri Lanka.

Mr. Kulatilake is one of the founders of Jasteca that during the past 32 years has helped over 3800 Sri Lankans to receive technical, managerial and entrepreneurship training in Japan and gain exposure to Japanese industrial and commercial practices.