Business is a Matter of Human Service by Dilmah

© Ceylon Tea Services PLC 2014 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission from the publisher. Photography: Palitha Anthony, Darrell Bartholomeusz, Alan Benson, Dhanush De Costa, Dimithri Cruze, Mandy Etpison Dilhan C. Fernando, Adam Golec, Dharshana Jayawardane, Bree Hutchins, Namal Kamalgoda, Sarath Perera, Malaka Premasiri, M.A. Pushpakumara, Devaka Seneviratne, Julian Stevenson, Izabela Urbaniak, Asanka Abayakoon & Dilmah Graphics. Edited, designed and laid out by the Brand Marketing Team at Dilmah. Printed & bound by: Karunaratne & Sons (Pvt.) Ltd. No. 67, UDA Industrial Estate Homagama

ISBN: 978-955-0081-14-1 Ceylon Tea Services PLC. MJF Holdings No. 111, Negombo Road Peliyagoda Sri Lanka

The value of being humane is rarely – if ever – considered a priority in business. For young Merrill J. Fernando, a tea taster seeking to transform a tea industry dominated by giants, it was the first of two objectives that he devoted his life to. The passionate young Tea Taster sought to change the systemic inequality in the colonial structure of the Ceylon Tea industry by adding value to tea at source. That was a ground-breaking concept at the time, eventually benefitting tea drinker and tea grower alike and helpingto make the long exploited industry more sustainable. The tangible outcome of that principle is extraordinary. Thousands of lives transformed in the process of making business a matter of human service, the philosophy that Merrill J. Fernando integrated into every business he started. In the 21st Century, the notion of ethical business is gaining currency although in 1962, when he formed his own company on that belief, it was revolutionary. The humanitarian dimension of Merrill J. Fernando’s Dilmah business has focused on empowerment with dignity, as the most effective way of assisting the underprivileged. The Foundation efficiently designs, manages and monitors humanitarian interventions, and is formed around the notion that business has equal potential in addressing issues of poverty alleviation as those of commerce. The MJF Charitable Foundation’s efforts at integrating Down Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy and underprivileged youth into their communities with dignity, its success in doing the same amongst reformed prisoners, differently able adults, in offering dignity to thousands of poor and marginalised women, all prove the potential for businesses to change the world by seeing commerce as a means to an end, profit as a component in serving the true purpose of business – of serving the community and its environment. The Merrill J. Fernando Charitable Foundation is ranked amongst the largest private charitable foundations in Asia with a minimum 10% of the pre-tax profits of the Dilmah Tea and allied companies funding its operations. In 2007 Merrill J. Fernando’s philosophy evolved in recognition of the reality that the welfare of man and the environmental are irrevocably intertwined. Dilmah Conservation uses its share of the earnings from Dilmah to research, design and promote sustainable agriculture, whilst working towards carbon neutrality and sustainability of Dilmah operations. The unit also works on educating future leaders on the importance of our natural environment, supporting the establishment of Nature Clubs in schools around Sri Lanka, and environmental education generally. Dilmah Conservation is engaged in species conservation, habitat restoration and the promotion of biodiversity. The achievements of an ordinary Sri Lankan armed with an ambitious vision to change the world resonates globally as a fresh and genuinely sustainable vision for the role of business in the 21st Century.

Our outreach... Colombo MJF Centre - Moratuwa MJF Kids Programme -

Jaffna

Peliyagoda, Maligawatta & Moratuwa Graphics Design Centre Prison Reform & Integrate Programme Women’s Development Programme Rainbow Centre for special needs children Sustainable Agriculture Research Centre Environmental education & awareness

Negombo MJF Kids

Programme - Pallansena Small Entrepreneur Progamme Sadhasarana

Plantations in Ratnapura, Nuwara Eliya & Kandy Water and hygiene projects

Home for the elders

Educational scholarships Support for primary education Child Development Centres Nutritional improvement programme Modern medical centre Special education for students Computer centres Special eye-care

Anuradhapura

programmes Renovation of plantation housing Small Entrepreneur Programme Bioremediation Biodiversity assessments Eco friendly tea gardens Connectivity conservation

Ratnapura Mankada –

livelihood assistance to communities Support for Udawalawe Elephant Transit Home Managing Elephant Information Centre, Udawalawe

Batticaloa

Batticaloa Small Entrepreneur Programme Women’s empowerment

Matale

Housing Project Community Centres Habitat enrichment in Thoppigala Livelihood Support Ecosystem conservation Dugong Conservation Marine conservation in Kayankerni Veddah community development programme Ecosytem restoration

Moneragala Small Entrepreneur

Programme Supporting the School for the Hearing & Visual Impaired Managing Daskam Niwasa Diriya Centre for vocational training

Ampara Small Entrepreneur Programme Orange plantation in

Kandy

Negombo Colombo

Nuwara Eliya Ratnapura

Pahalalanda Support for village irrigation scheme Mentoring Gami Aruna CBO

Hambanthota Small Entrepreneur Programme Sithijaya Hambanthota

MJF Centre for the Differenetly-Abled Community Centre Water and hygiene programmes for communities Educational support and recreation facilities for schools Vocational training for former prisoners

Jaffna

Reconciliation through power of nature Rebuilding Field Research Station Small Entrepreneur Programme Empowering war widows Child Development Centre Preserving unique ecosytem & culture in Delft Support for fisher communities MJF Kids Programme, Point Pedro

Anuradhapura Supporting the Ahikuntaka community 4

Ampara

MJF

Charitable Foundation

Moneragala

Our health,

education and infrastructure projects benefited 12,500 plantation families. Together we brought a smile to 2,000 children, who were cared for at the Child Development Centres in our plantations.

The Foundation awarded educational

scholarships to 256 students from the plantations.

Livelihood assistance was provided to 218 families including 160 war widows in Northern and Eastern Sri Lanka.

Over 1,000 individuals were supported through the Small Entrepreneur Programme to establish themselves in a suitable livelihood and includes 240 former prisoners. Supported 1,200 kids through holistic development programmes conducted via the MJF Kids Programmes islandwide.

Software training was given to 383 children and young adults from marginalised communities. Over 150 differently abled children were provided with special

education, therapy and training.

The MJF Charitable Foundation has changed the lives of over a 100,000 underprivileged people.

MJF Charitable Foundation

Caring for children

Empowering the differently able

MJF Kids Programme

Community service

Uplifting education

Empowerment for women

Creating healthy communities

Changing Lives

Reform and Integrate

106

Dilmah Conservation

116

Bioremediation through the use of Biochar

118

Home away from home for orphaned elephant calves

124

Community empowerment through cultural development

134

Working to preserve Sri Lanka’s marine wonders

144

Where the wild horses roam...

156

On the wings of a butterfly…

166

Promoting sustainable lifestyles through organic agrarian practices

172

Facilitating the discovery of new amphibian species

182

Protection and conservation for the Sirens of the Sea

188

Habitat enrichment in Thoppigala

196

Scientific revival for Jaffna’s youth

210

Strengthening communities towards sustainable tea cultivation

216

Using nature as a tool for reconciling local communities

222

Dignified empowerment for indigenous communities

232

Art and craft paves way for new lease in life

244

Ecosystem restoration to address forest loss in Batticaloa

254

Adopting proactive conservation practices within our estates

264

Landmark Publications to inspire change

272

MJF Charitable Foundation Where humanitarian assistance goes beyond the act of charity Founder of Dilmah, Merrill J. Fernando conceived in the 1950s, the idea of a business that would help restore the fortunes of his county’s ailing tea industry and its million or more direct dependents, whilst sharing the benefits of that business with the community. Having taken Dilmah to the world, he was motivated to ensure that the benefits accrued from the success of Dilmah, benefitted the plantation industry and its workforce, as well as the community at large. Established in 2003, the MJF Charitable Foundation (MJFCF) was the realisation of this dream. The setting up of the Foundation proved to be most fortuitous, as barely a year after its inception, Sri Lanka suffered the devastating Asian tsunami. As a consequence, the Foundation evolved rapidly than anticipated and developed into an established charitable organisation. While the tsunami created a situation which demanded considerable short-term attention, the focus of the Foundation predominantly revolves around long-term sustainability, by empowering individuals, families and whole communities to help themselves. The result has been the implementation of numerous initiatives that cover the length and breadth of the island, which are meaningful and innovative, so as to allow beneficiaries to live self-sustaining and rewarding lives. These initiatives include humanitarian, medical and educational services aimed at uplifting the plantation community, the Small Entrepreneur Programme that provides deserving individuals with necessary equipment and funding to launch a vocational-based business of their own, empowering women from disadvantaged and impoverished backgrounds, the Prison Reform and Integrate Programme focused on transforming individuals released on parole to lead productive lives, offering support and exposure to children from underprivileged backgrounds, the Local Heroes programme that improves the standard of a capable individual and uses this success to benefit the wider community, enabling the differently-abled and the gifted, empowering war-affected women of the North of Sri Lanka and community welfare for the elderly. For those that are familiar with the Founder, this is hardly surprising, as his vision, strength and commitment in bringing Dilmah to the forefront have been every bit as prevalent in relation to the Foundation. The Foundation serves to embody the Founder’s philosophy that ‘Business is a Matter of Human Service’. It is also a tribute and symbol of appreciation to the millions of Dilmah Tea consumers around the world who are stakeholders of the MJF Charitable Foundation. By 2014, the Foundation benefitted the lives of over 100,000 disadvantaged and underprivileged Sri Lankans.

We come into this world with nothing, we leave with nothing. The wealth some of us acquire is owed to the efforts and cooperation of many others around us. Let us, therefore, share that wealth, while we are still around, so that the goodwill and contentment created thereby may make our world a happier place for others too. Merrill J. Fernando Settlor of the MJF Charitable Foundation & Founder of Dilmah

DILMAH CONSERVATION

Caring for children Addressing the needs of plantation communities, through care and welfare for their young children. HABITAT ENRICHMENT IN THOPPIGALA

MJF CHARITABLE FOUNDATION

Children at a plantation Child Development Centre enjoying a nutritious mid-day meal made with healthy ingredients, to ensure development of mind, body and soul.

CARING FOR CHILDREN

Group activities for toddlers at the Child Development Centre located on Dilmah’s Somerset Estate.

MJF CHARITABLE FOUNDATION

Health, safety and nutrition standards of estate children have significantly improved as a result of CDCs.

The plantation sector in Sri Lanka was for decades identified as one of the areas where human development indicators were least developed. Contributing to this dubious honour were terrible living conditions, below average sanitary facilities, poorly equipped education facilities and almost non-existent welfare for young children. The MJF Charitable Foundation sought to address this situation and remedy decades of poverty ridden conditions by introducing a comprehensive programme that reached all levels of plantation life. This includes the upgrading of former estate crèches located on Dilmah tea gardens into fully functional Child Development Centres (CDCs) supervised and managed by the MJF Charitable Foundation. The CDCs offer children under the age of five, a chance to be cared for in a healthy environment with facilities that enable holistic development. At the CDCs, the Foundation provides a nutritious mid-day meal to every child, a programme which commenced on an experimental basis nearly 7 years ago. It is identified today as an important aspect of child welfare initiatives in plantations. As a result, health, safety and nutrition standards of estate children have significantly improved, and parents are no longer burdened with worry over the wellbeing of their young, while they work.

CARING FOR CHILDREN

Nothing you do for children is ever wasted. - Garrison Keillor

MJF CHARITABLE FOUNDATION

The MJF Charitable Foundation ensures that every child is given a chance to develop mentally and physically through education and a host of activities.

CARING FOR CHILDREN

MJF CHARITABLE FOUNDATION

Children at a plantation CDC receive creative development through art from an early age and nourishing ‘Kanji’ or soup being served at a CDC.

CARING FOR CHILDREN

Caring for children 20

MJF CHARITABLE FOUNDATION

Sebastian Gnanamani Tea picker on Somerset Estate in Talawakelle Gnanamani is a tea picker on Dilmah’s Somerset Estate in Talawakelle, part of the beautiful tea country in central Sri Lanka. A mother of three children, Gnanamani is the sole breadwinner in the family and lives in a small, tidy estate house with pipe borne water and electricity, considered luxuries in many estate dwellings in Sri Lanka. Her aged mother, a former tea picker herself, lives with them and contributes by cooking and taking care of the two older children when they return from school. The youngest, a little girl aged 5 attends one of the Child Development Centres – CDCs, managed by the MJF Charitable Foundation at the Somerset Estate. The Foundation continues to upgrade planation CDCs as part of efforts to uplift the quality of care and welfare provided to the young children of plantation workers. Gnanamani’s day starts well before the sun rises, with her attending to her two older children to send them to school on time. Thereafter Gnanamani leaves home for work accompanied by her youngest, whom she drops off at the CDC. Gnanamani is relieved that there is a Child Development Centre on the estate. ‘‘I am relieved that the crèche is there to take care of the children. Like any parent, I want my children to be safe and have a good education. The Foundation is helping us achieve this’’ she says. Over 75 Child Development Centres located throughout Dilmah tea gardens provide daily care for nearly 2000 children below the age of five. At the CDCs, children are provided with a healthy mid-day meal and the opportunity to receive early childhood education and be involved in interactive play groups.

CARING FOR CHILDREN

DILMAH CONSERVATION

Empowering the differently able A holistic support programme for children and youth with special needs and various forms of disability.

HABITAT ENRICHMENT IN THOPPIGALA

MJF CHARITABLE FOUNDATION

In Moratuwa, Ambalanthota and Monaragala – the Foundation’s work has made a significant difference in the lives of children with special needs.

EMPOWERING THE DIFFERENTLY ABLE

Ground breaking! The Settlor of the MJF Charitable Foundation lays the foundation stone to build a vocational training centre for disadvantaged youth at the MJF Centre Moratuwa surrounded by younger son Dilhan, and grandchildren Amrit, Amaya and Devin.

DILMAH CONSERVATION

Empowering people to overcome their disability and build meaningful and rewarding lives without having to resort to charity.

Ensuring differently able children and youth receive education and empowerment to live productive independent lives with dignity is a priority area of the MJF Charitable Foundation. The Foundation supports the Subhagya Vidyalaya - School for the Hearing & Visual Impaired located in the impoverished Monaragala District. It is one of the few specialised institutions that provide education and vocational training for hearing and visual impaired youth in Sri Lanka. The Foundation also established the Rainbow Centre in Colombo at the MJF Centre Moratuwa to provide holistic care for children with Autism, Down Syndrome and other developmental delays. A specialised Cerebral Palsy care unit is also in operation at the Rainbow Centre and caters to the needs of recipients, whose ages range from 8 months to 35 years. Sithijaya – the Merrill J. Fernando Centre for Differently-Abled located in Ambalanthota in southern Sri Lanka is a state-of-the art facility that caters to occupational, physical and supplementary therapy requirements of differently abled children and youth in that area. The objective of all three institutions is to empower people to overcome their disability and build meaningful and rewarding lives without having to resort to charity.

EMPOWERING THE DIFFERENTLY ABLE

Giving ex-enabled persons a platform to showcase their talents as part of ongoing support for AIDEX, the annual sports carnival for the differently abled.

MJF CHARITABLE FOUNDATION

EMPOWERING THE DIFFERENTLY ABLE

Kindness is the language which the deaf hear and the blind can see. – Mark Twain

MJF CHARITABLE FOUNDATION

Differently able cricketers from the Foundation mentored Subhagya Vidyalaya - School for the Hearing & Visual Impaired in Monaragala.

EMPOWERING THE DIFFERENTLY ABLE

DILMAH CONSERVATION

Celebrating the power of teamwork The annual Merrill J. Fernando Challenge Trophy for Excellence in Blind Cricket is a celebration of the sportsmanship and teamwork of Sri Lanka’s visual and hearing impaired cricketers. It commenced in 2008 as part of celebrating Dilmah Founder Merrill J. Fernando’s birthday with a cause close to his heart. Furthermore, since 2005, the MJF Charitable Foundation supports the Sri Lanka Cricket Association of the Visually Handicapped, as one of their key patrons, by hosting the Dilmah Challenge Trophy. This tournament gives all teams registered with the Association an opportunity to participate at a national level cricket tournament. Currently, the MJF Charitable Foundation supports and mentors the cricket team from the Monaragala Subhagya Vidyalaya – School for the Hearing and Visual Impaired. This institution has contributed several key players to the Sri Lankan National Cricket Team for the Visually Handicapped. The Sri Lanka Cricket Association of the Visually Handicapped was established in 1996 with a membership of 4 teams. At present, the Association has 13 fulltime members under its wing and is also a member of the World Blind Cricket Council. Dilmah continues to support the functions of the Association.

CELEBRATING THE POWER OF TEAMWORK

MJF CHARITABLE FOUNDATION

Can do... If you give me a chance - Nipuna Fernando MJF Kid & beneficiary of Rainbow Centre Moratuwa

MJF Kids from the Rainbow Centre Moratuwa present the Settlor with a special painting, which was used as the Dilmah Christmas card, during the Celebrating Differences event and vocational training opportunities to ensure future independence for students at Sithijaya – the Merrill J. Fernando Centre for Differently-Abled in Ambalanthota.

EMPOWERING THE DIFFERENTLY ABLE

Whenever I come here I ask why is it that I have so much and what have these innocent children done to deserve the plight they’re in. I have found no answer yet, but, in the meantime, I have committed myself to help find an answer – medical or otherwise – to relieve them of their burdens and illnesses and make them feel like all other children. - Merrill J. Fernando, Settlor of the MJF Charitable Foundation speaking at Celebrating Differences 2013 held at the MJF Centre Moratuwa. The Rainbow Centre, as part of the MJF Centre Moratuwa, provides holistic care for children and youth with special needs.

MJF CHARITABLE FOUNDATION

EMPOWERING THE DIFFERENTLY ABLE

Empowering the differently able 38

MJF CHARITABLE FOUNDATION

Nipuna Fernando different but able to progress in life Nipuna is a 20 year old individual with Down Syndrome. He currently attends the MJF Centre Moratuwa as a student of the Rainbow Centre, which provides holistic care for children and youth with special needs. As part of the MJF Centre, Nipuna is able to realise his dream of becoming independent and manage his day to day activities despite the shortcomings of his disability. Nipuna is a talented artist, a graceful dancer and part time comedian who loves to make everyone around him laugh. His teachers at the Centre consider him a good role model who has shown great promise since he started to attend lessons. His mother, Kamala Fernando, also joined the Rainbow Centre as a teacher so that she too could be part of efforts to empower differently able children and help others like Nipuna. His unyielding spirit and infectious hopefulness have set an example to his peers and other adults diagnosed with Down Syndrome. Nipuna’s parents and teachers at the MJF Centre have worked together to teach and nurture this special individual and help him grow beyond stereotypical shackles. His colourful personality has touched the lives of many and continues to positively impact those around him. The MJF Charitable Foundation has positively enriched the lives of over 1200 able and differently able children through the MJF Kids Programme. Beneficiary children from marginalised communities receive educational support, character building and the opportunity rise above the poverty of their surroundings as part of the Programme.

EMPOWERING THE DIFFERENTLY ABLE

DILMAH CONSERVATION

MJF kids programme An island wide programme of education, character building and empowerment for children from marginalised communities.

HABITAT ENRICHMENT IN THOPPIGALA

Handprints in colour for a brighter tomorrow at the MJF Centre Moratuwa.

MJF CHARITABLE FOUNDATION

I did not study before and I felt I was a failure. Support classes at the MJF Centre have significantly improved my grades at school. I am no longer treated as a failure. - A. Esther MJF Kid, Pallansena

The MJF Kids Programme is the pride and joy of Dilmah Founder Merrill J. Fernando, who established it in 2006 to address the needs of children living in the vicinity of the Dilmah head office in Peliyagoda. This area is home to some of the most impoverished urban dwellings in the Colombo District, where many children fail to complete their education as a result of rampant poverty. The MJF Kids Programme offers these children the possibility of education and empowerment, and as a consequence, they will be equipped to step outside of their existing environs and establish a better quality of life for themselves and their families, one day. Following its success in Peliyagoda and Maligawatta, the Programme has now been replicated in the Founder’s hometown of Pallansena, a little fishing hamlet in Negombo, in Siyambalanduwa in the Monaragala District – one of the least developed areas in the country, in Moratuwa, a highly populous coastal city in the Colombo District, combining programmes for abled and differently abled children and in Point Pedro in the Northern Province to help children marginalised as a result of the now concluded war. MJF Kids are trained in arts, crafts, cookery, sewing, music, dancing and computer studies, and are also assisted with their school curriculum.

MJF KIDS PROGRAMME

The Settlor of the MJF Charitable Foundation appreciates the artistic abilities of children from the MJF Kids Peliyagoda and Maligawatta Programmes.

MJF CHARITABLE FOUNDATION

MJF KIDS PROGRAMME

Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world. – Nelson Mandela

MJF CHARITABLE FOUNDATION

A time to learn at the MJF Centre Peliyagoda and a time to play at the MJF Centre Moratuwa.

MJF KIDS PROGRAMME

MJF CHARITABLE FOUNDATION

Nurturing artistic abilities of older MJF Kids at the MJF Centre Peliyagoda while MJF Kids in Point Pedro in Sri Lanka’s war torn Northern Province receive educational support courtesy of the MJF Charitable Foundation at the mission of our local partner Anjali Aham.

MJF KIDS PROGRAMME

MJF Kids Programme 50

MJF CHARITABLE FOUNDATION

Yogarajah Krishanthini empowerment through education Sixteen year old Yogarajah Krishanthini has made ample progress since joining the MJF Kids Programme in 2007, as part of its first group. The Programme is free for children from marginalised communities, who are given the opportunity to empower themselves through education and receive support in aesthetic subjects. Today, Krishanthini has successfully completed her Ordinary Level examination and is hoping to commence her Advanced Level classes later this year. Krishanthini and her two brothers grew up in a slum dwelling located beneath one of the busiest bridges in Sri Lanka. Her father is partially disabled from a long and debilitating illness and can only work for limited periods of time. Krishanthini was fortunate to join the MJF Kids Programme and thereby become eligible for support classes. From her early days, she demonstrated great aptitude in English which she was taught as a part of the MJF Kids Programme. Encouraged to take part in the all-island poetry competition, Krishanthini did brilliantly, winning first place in the under 14 category. Since then, she has made every effort to make use of the opportunity given to her through the MJF Kids Programme to further her education. Krishanthini shares her knowledge with other kids in her neighbourhood by tutoring them in a number of subjects. Krishanthini epitomises what can be achieved through ‘opportunity’ and is considered a role model of the MJF Kids Programme. Over 1200 children are now privy to a life of opportunity as a result of the MJF Kids Programme. The MJF Kids Programme functions through MJF Centres located in Peliyagoda, Maligawatta and Moratuwa in the Colombo District, in the Founder’s hometown in Pallansena, in the impoverished Monaragala District in Siyambalanduwa and in Sri Lanka’s war torn north in Point Pedro.

MJF KIDS PROGRAMME

MJF CHARITABLE FOUNDATION

The game changer ‘Life through Cricket’ is a joint initiative between the MJF Charitable Foundation and Cricket Live Foundation (CLF), New Zealand directed at training 12 - 15 local cricket coaches in and around Moratuwa and, through them, providing cricket coaching for 50 underprivileged children who are keen on progressing through cricket. The initial stages of the project saw 12 local coaches being enrolled at the launch and the first cricket coaching clinic held in early 2014. The refurbishment of outdoor practice nets at the De Zoysa Stadium in Moratuwa was also initiated within the first three months of the initiative. All children who are fans of cricket dream of becoming professional players one day. Dilmah strives to make these dreams a reality, giving children a chance at becoming stars of the game, by offering them proper training, facilities and encouragement. This venture is aimed at supporting the children who have grown-up in an under-privileged and disadvantaged environment and strives to give such children the opportunity to be recognized and to develop their skills not only as cricketers, but as young individuals. Because the success of the player’s development is determined by the capabilities of the coaches and the environment they create, the coaches themselves need to be able to relate to the players and serve as inspiring role models and guides. Due to this reason the coaches in the programme have also been selected from similar backgrounds to the children. The programme will also emphasize on five core values; respect to family and friends, nutrition and healthy living, self discipline, team work and punctuality and time management.

THE GAME CHANGER

DILMAH CONSERVATION

Community service A programme of community service to ensure the welfare of senior citizens in the twilight years of their lives.

HABITAT ENRICHMENT IN THOPPIGALA

MJF CHARITABLE FOUNDATION

A conducive environment for senior citizens.

Sadhasarana is dedicated as a shelter for homeless elderly people with no family for support.

Giving a sense of security to older people in the twilight years of their lives was a primary reason for founding the Sadhasarana Home for Elders in Pitipana, Negombo by the MJF Charitable Foundation. The home was established on an ancestral property of Dilmah Founder Merrill J. Fernando who dedicated it as a shelter to homeless elderly people with no family for support. Sadhasarana, which means ‘forever care’, caters especially to women, who have been left destitute due to circumstances beyond their control. The original home, set in the middle of a tranquil garden full of greenery, has now been renovated and extensions added to provide the best possible residential care for senior citizens. These women will now be able to spend the remainder of their lives knowing that their welfare is being taken care of by the Foundation.

COMMUNITY SERVICE

But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. – Timothy 5:8 ESV

MJF CHARITABLE FOUNDATION

Nuns from the Sisters of Our Lady of Perpetual Help support the MJF Charitable Foundation with day to day functions of the Sadhasarana Home.

COMMUNITY SERVICE

MJF CHARITABLE FOUNDATION

Pursuing creative forms of recreation and a place where the needs of residents are fulfilled with care and compassion.

COMMUNITY SERVICE

Uplifting education A programme to support educational endeavours of children.

Education to empower the next generation of plantation children, supporting educational initiatives in Sri Lanka’s north and gifting school bags for children in plantation CDCs.

MJF CHARITABLE FOUNDATION

UPLIFTING EDUCATION

MJF CHARITABLE FOUNDATION

Training in graphic design and MS Office is carried out for underprivileged youth at the MJF Centre Moratuwa.

The MJF Charitable Foundation carries out a comprehensive educational programme for children in plantations. This includes an ongoing special education project for Ordinary Level students in the Talawakelle Educational Zone and support to the Holyrood Primary School in Talawakelle which was constructed by the Foundation. Newly established computer training centres at Craighead and Imboolpitiya Estates of the Kahawatte Plantations, provides basic training in computer studies for children between the ages of 8 – 16 years. The Foundation also continues to provide school bags and stationary items for children from plantation CDCs entering primary schools for the first time. The MJF Scholarship scheme, established to support children of estate workers complete their secondary and tertiary education, has now supported over one hundred students through university. In Sri Lanka’s impoverished Monaragala District, the Dhiriya (strength) Centre, established with support from Dilmah Partner Gourmet Foods of Poland, continues to provide support classes in Mathematics, English and Science for students and vocational training for youth. The Curtiss Centre for Design provides free courses in graphic design and Microsoft Word for marginalised youth in Moratuwa, a highly populous coastal town in the Colombo District. The success of the initial programme clearly indicated that youth in the Moratuwa area were keen to attend training programmes that gave them the opportunity to rise above their poverty ridden existence.

UPLIFTING EDUCATION

He who opens a school door, closes a prison. – Victor Hugo

MJF CHARITABLE FOUNDATION

Special education in plantation schools, as part of the MJF Charitable Foundation’s educational initiatives.

UPLIFTING EDUCATION

Empowerment for women A programme of self-empowerment for women from marginalised communities to live better and support their families.

Celebrating International Women’s Day at the MJF Centre Moratuwa with recipients of the Women’s Development Programme.

MJF CHARITABLE FOUNDATION

Providing livelihood opportunities for women to better themselves and their families.

Creating livelihood opportunities for women to better themselves and their families is part of the important work carried out by the MJF Charitable Foundation. The model Women’s Development Programme (WDP) in place at the MJF Centre Moratuwa and empowering widows marginalised as a result of the now concluded war in the north and east of Sri Lanka through the Small Entrepreneur Programme (SEP), are two activities that resonate the Foundation’s efforts. The WDP provides support to marginalised women, including those who care for children with disabilities. The Programme provides training in cookery, needlework, gardening and carries out self-development sessions. Through the SEP, women headed households have been given a boost and recipients have become successful dry fish vendors, dress makers, livestock breeders in their respective neighbourhoods and are better able to support themselves and their families as a result. In the impoverished Monaragala District, the MJF Charitable Foundation is supporting the Subhagya Vidyalaya - School for the Hearing and Visual Impaired continue their educational programmes and established the Daskam Nivasa which serves as a vocational training centre for older female students of the school. It also functions as the showroom where items produced by their nimble hands are showcased. The income generated is shared with students, thus establishing the foundation for their future independence.

EMPOWERMENT FOR WOMEN

Above all, be the heroine of your life, not the victim. – Nora Ephron

MJF CHARITABLE FOUNDATION

Empowering women marginalised as a result of the now concluded war in Sri Lanka’s North and East through the Foundation’s Small Entrepreneur Programme (SEP).

EMPOWERMENT FOR WOMEN

Training in home gardening at the MJF Centre Moratuwa, creations on display at the Daskam Niwasa Monaragala and classes in flower craft for recipients of the WDP.

MJF CHARITABLE FOUNDATION

EMPOWERMENT FOR WOMEN

Empowerment for women 78

MJF CHARITABLE FOUNDATION

R. M. Chandralatha potter overcomes poverty through pottery Living in a rural village in Sri Lanka’s impoverished Monaragala District, Chandralatha had few opportunities to progress in life. To support herself and her family, she started to hand craft oil lamps at home, a labour intensive activity, that yielded just about enough to keep them above the poverty line. Later, she began receiving orders to make pots to store curd but could not fulfil all orders as she did not have the equipment or sufficient funds to employ necessary labour. However, she was determined to make her business a success and worked hard to accomplish this task. Her wish for assistance was realised when she became a recipient of the Small Entrepreneur Programme (SEP) of the MJF Charitable Foundation who helped her establish a pottery workshop, purchase a pottery wheel and build a kiln. Today, Chandralatha employs a dozen people, consisting mostly of her relatives from the neighbourhood and helps them empower themselves and improve their quality of life. Chandralatha and her husband run a successful pottery making business and use their own lorry and a three wheeler to transport the finished goods to different market places. She says “the MJF Charitable Foundation supported me to establish this pottery workshop – I am able to support myself and help my relatives live better as a result”. The MJF Charitable Foundation works towards empowering women from marginalised communities through their Women’s Development Programme (WDP) and the SEP. To date, over 1200 individuals have been empowered under the SEP and are now better able to take care of their families as a result.

EMPOWERMENT FOR WOMEN

Creating healthy communities Supporting community welfare efforts through medical camps and donation of equipment.

A free eye camp for retired Dilmah tea garden workers held at the Imboolpitiya Estate.

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The Merrill J. Fernando Health Centre at the Somerset Estate serves not only the plantation community but also people from surrounding villages.

Supporting community wellbeing begins with efforts in our tea gardens. Ensuring that community members maintain decent health standards is an important part of the work carried out by the MJF Charitable Foundation. The refurbished Merrill J. Fernando Health Centre at the Somerset Estate in Talawakelle serves not only the plantation community but also people from surrounding villages. The Foundation refurbished the Houpe Estate Hospital, as part of its early healthcare efforts. In addition, the electrocardiography - ECG machine donated to the Westhall Estate Government Hospital in Nawalapitiya serves a large population of patients from Westhall and Barcaple Estates and surrounding villages. The Foundation works with Help Age, So Others May See Inc. USA and the Australia Sri Lanka Medical Association (AuSLMAT) to provide specialised eye clinics and health camps. In a special arrangement with the National Cancer Institute (NCI), the Foundation established a dedicated breast cancer screening for Dilmah estate staff every Friday. To support this endeavour, the Foundation donated additional mammography films to the Institute. A group of five radiographers operate the Mammography machine and Ultra Sound scanner, donated by the Foundation. The Dialyses machine donated to the Kurunagala Teaching Hospital and the Autoclave machine donated to the North Colombo (Ragama) Teaching Hospital continue to be utilised to provide services to the community.

CREATING HEALTHY COMMUNITIES

Healing is a matter of time, but it is sometimes also a matter of opportunity. – Hippocrates

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A mother and her infant await their turn during a Foundation sponsored medical camp held at the Kataboola Estate

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Supporting cancer awareness and treatment through the donation of valuable equipment to the National Cancer Institute (NCI).

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Changing Lives Transorming the lives of people in underprivileged communities through dignified empowerment.

D. M. Dharmadasa, the first Local Hero supported through the MJF Charitable Foundation in 2007, is now a successful businessman with fifteen people working for him while Shyama is employed by Local Hero Sumith Udayakumara as part of his successful yogurt and milk toffee business.

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The Small Entrepreneur Programme (SEP) of the MJF Charitable Foundation was established as part of a greater poverty alleviation programme – a long-term, socio-economic relief effort which began in the aftermath of the 2004 Asian Tsunami to change lives positively. This cataclysmic event destroyed the livelihoods of thousands of individuals, who were left destitute as a result. What began as an immediate relief programme to support tsunami affected coastal communities is one of the most recognised self-help initiatives in the country today, with an island-wide reach. Through the SEP, individuals who show interest in uplifting themselves and their families are provided with suitable equipment and funding to commence a vocational-based business, or to improve their existing facilities. The Foundation continues to monitor the progress of recipients and many have expanded their activities to support the greater community they live in. These are the life changing stories of their success…

CHANGING LIVES

What we achieve inwardly will change outer reality. - Plutarch

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The fruits of success – these products embody the success of the Small Entrepreneur Programme (SEP) which has enabled many individuals become successful businessmen and women.

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Sumith Udayakumara Looking for a ‘sweeter’ life

In 1997, Sumith Udayakumara started making ten cups of yogurt a day in his kitchen in a rural village in Sri Lanka’s impoverished Monaragala District, identified as one of the least developed districts in that day. He was a struggling entrepreneur, barely able to meet the needs of his growing family. Equipped with nothing but determination and a strong belief in himself, the father of two young boys, struggled to compete with well-known brands that had majority market share. By the year 2000, Sumith was using as much as 30-35 litres of milk and his output had grown considerably. Practical difficulties, including storage and transportation of the produce were beginning to affect the business and Sumith was often unable to meet market demands. His luck turned for the better when he was shortlisted for support through the Small Entrepreneur Programme (SEP) of the MJF Charitable Foundation, which gave assistance to promising small-time entrepreneurs to develop their own businesses. Sumith now markets yogurt under his own brand ‘Sumadu’ and his enterprise includes making milk toffees, savoury bites, ice lollypops and ghee oil - a by-product of the milk. He produces over 750 cups of yogurt and around 800 pieces of milk toffee daily. His requirement for milk, which he purchases at a higher rate, provides cottage industry possibilities to over 80 individuals, whilst he directly employs nearly 15 people. To support Sumith’s endeavours, the MJF Charitable Foundation through Dilmah Engineering conceptualised and developed a machine to boil and cool the milk in order for him to carry out the yogurt manufacturing process efficiently and sustainably. The custom built boiler, has drastically reduced the use of firewood. His mantra is simple. Develop the business, don’t substitute quality for quantity and help the people who need help. Sumith says “I received support from the MJF Charitable Foundation because the Chairman of Dilmah shared his wealth with those who are less privileged like me. I want to honour him by helping my staff”. The MJF Charitable Foundation continues to support many others like Sumith who show keenness in empowering themselves and their families through the SEP. It has positively touched the lives of over 1000 individuals and created better lives for their families.

CHANGING LIVES

I received support from the MJF Charitable Foundation because the Chairman of Dilmah shared his wealth with those who are less privileged like me. I want to honour him by helping my staff - Sumith Udayakumara, SEP recipient

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Bhadra Priyadarshini her business is ‘mushrooming’ Bhadra was a hardworking woman from Monaragala who struggled to make a living and educate her young sons. She and her husband Jayantha were fortunate to become part of the MJF Charitable Foundation’s Small Entrepreneur Programme (SEP), which supports people who show promise and have a flair for business. Bhadra was given training in growing mushrooms on a commercial scale and the Foundation helped with funds to build the hut to grow mushrooms. Within a few months they were able to secure orders from a number of hotels and restaurants in the area to supply fresh mushrooms. With the income generated, Jayantha was able to acquire additional land to expand his plot of betel, to meet the high demand for betel in the Monaragala area. With the income generated, Bhadra and Jayantha were able to purchase a lorry to transport the produce fast and efficiently to their destinations and build their home. They were also able to educate their children and embark on several new ventures including a poultry farm and a vehicle service centre. In addition, Bhadra has been busy carrying out training and providing guidance to others interested in establishing a mushroom business. Bhadra says that she is more than happy to be able to share her knowledge with the community as she believes it is her obligation to help others. She says “I have done my best to help myself and the people around me. I am sharing my knowledge with others so that they too can become successful. Today my elder son is studying to be an Ayurvedic doctor at the Institute of Indigenous Medicine at the Colombo University while the younger one is at the Engineering Faculty of the Moratuwa University. When we were struggling, all we wanted to do was to give them a good education. I have managed all this because the MJF Charitable Foundation helped me”. Bhadra is one of the many whose lives have been changed for the better since her inclusion in the SEP of the MJF Charitable Foundation. Over 1000 individuals are now successful small-time entrepreneurs with support from the SEP which was established in the aftermath of the 2004 Asian Tsunami to rebuild lives and livelihoods.

CHANGING LIVES

I have done my best to help myself and the people around me. I am sharing my knowledge with others so that they too can become successful. - Bhadra Priyadarshini, SEP recipient

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Upul Indika banana chip maker from Nakkala Upul Indika was born in Nakkala, a remote village in Sri Lanka’s impoverished Monaragala District. He grew up with a distant aunt, longing for the warmth of a home and family. His education was minimal and as a result he did not have many prospects of employment. Upul worked briefly in a solar production factory in Ampara but realised that he wanted to be more than just a factory worker. A flair for experimenting with different types of raw material gave Upul initial insight to food processing. He started using the excess fruit from the garden to make a selection of jams which he sold in little yogurt cups. Thereafter he started to make dessert cups with a combination of jelly and custard. His produce was stored in a neighbour’s refrigerator where stocks would often disappear. However because of his dependency, Upul could not confront his neighbour about this. Both jam and jelly cups were well received and soon after, Upul made enough money to purchase a little plot of land and build a hut that became his home and factory. The MJF Charitable Foundation, through its Small Entrepreneur Programme (SEP) stepped in at this point to support Upul by funding the purchase of a refrigerator. Upul says that receiving the refrigerator was the turning point in his business. At present, Upul makes fried banana chips, a range of spicy kokis - a traditional Sri Lankan sweet made with rice flour and coconut milk, in addition to the jelly and custard cups. A mechanised banana chopper has remarkably improved productivity of his operation. As president of the MJF Vidatha Society, made up of the Foundation’s SEP recipients in the area, Upul makes sure that their produce is marketed and the profits shared fairly and equally. Some of the produce is purchased by staff at the MJF head office in Peliyagoda when Upul makes his monthly visits with the produce. Upul is one amongst many individuals who have become successful businessmen and women with support from the SEP of the MJF Charitable Foundation. To date, the Foundation has provided support to over 1000 individuals who show promise, keen business sense and capacity to empower themselves and support the community they live in.

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For me, success is being able to educate my children and teach them the value of honesty. - Upul Indika, SEP recipient

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Reform and Integrate Dignity and empowerment for individuals marginalised as a result of incarceration.

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The Settlor during the establishment of the Reform and Integrate programme at the Welikada Prison in Colombo while, inmates at the Monaragala Prison receive an introduction to the Reform and Integrate Programme.

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Launched in October 2007, the Reform and Integrate Programme is the first of its kind in Sri Lanka.

The stigma associated with prison, often leads society to ostracise individuals, even those who have become rehabilitated and motivated to mend their ways. They face an uphill task to re-establish themselves within the community as regular citizens, due to a lack of adequate reintegration mechanisms in place. This is identified as a factor leading former prisoners to their old criminal ways. In order to address this disparity, the MJF Charitable Foundation established the Prison Reform and Integrate Programme, as part of its Small Entrepreneur Programme (SEP). It focuses on transforming individuals released on parole from the correctional system to lead productive lives by re-building their reputation within the community and instilling confidence in them to carry on with their lives. Launched in October 2007, the Reform and Integrate Programme is the first of its kind in Sri Lanka and has now successfully integrated men and women who have shown an interest in reforming themselves and supporting their families through legitimate means. The MJF Charitable Foundation works closely with the Prisons Department to carry out this programme to ensure that every prisoner who wishes to be rehabilitated will be supported to establish themselves in a suitable livelihood.

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Men are not prisoners of fate, but only prisoners of their own minds. – Franklin D. Roosevelt

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Samantha Rajapakshe tale of the village tailor Samantha Rajapakshe from Pahalalanda in Sri Lanka’s impoverished Ampara District is a former soldier. His career in the Army ended when he was jailed for armed robbery. Upon his release from prison, the community refused to accept him, and he was ostracised from society who viewed him as a threat. There were very few opportunities available to embark on a new life. Samantha’s life changed for the better when he became a recipient of the Reform and Integrate initiative of Dilmah’s Small Entrepreneur Programme (SEP), which specifically supports prisoners released from the parole system. Helped by the Foundation with a sewing machine and an overlock machine, Samantha embarked on changing his life and his destiny by becoming the village tailor. He worked day and night to deliver on his promises and aced his first order – altering a large consignment of uniforms for the Civil Defense Force unit in the area. Today Samantha is not just the village tailor – he is a well-respected community leader who, together with the MJF Charitable Foundation, through the Gami Aruna – or ‘village awakening’ project has established an irrigation scheme and an orange and pineapple plantation in Pahalalanda. This project provides livelihood opportunities to over 50 families in the area. Before the MJF Charitable Foundation intervened, the villagers of Pahalalanda were faced with the dual burdens of poverty and a lack of potable water. Today, the plantation has borne fruit and the income generated is shared with the members of Gami Aruna. Samantha has not only enabled himself with support from the Foundation, but has also managed to enable others in his community. Speaking at a ceremony to present SEP grants to a new group of recipients held at the same prison where he was incarcerated few years back, Samantha says “I am a better person in every sense today because I made use of an opportunity given to me by the MJF Charitable Foundation. I am an example of how good things can happen to people like us”. Samantha is one of the most successful recipients of the Prison Reform and Integrate Programme. Established 2007, the prison SEP has supported over 240 individuals who have been released on parole from correctional institutions across Sri Lanka. The Programme is carried out in partnership with the Prison’s Department.

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I am a better person in every sense today because I made use of an opportunity given to me by the MJF Charitable Foundation. I am an example of how good things can happen to people like us - Samantha Rajapakshe, SEP recipient

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Dilmah Conservation Conserving terrestrial and marine species, restoring and preserving ecosystems and protecting Sri Lanka’s unique cultural heritage Dilmah Conservation was initiated in 2007 to incorporate environmental conservation efforts into the work of the MJF Charitable Foundation, which focuses on social justice. The philosophy of Business as a Matter of Human Service underpinned by the six pillars of Quality, Tradition, Our Customer, Ethics, Integrity and Sustainability is central to Dilmah’s enterprise. Dilmah Conservation firmly believes in the importance of making a conscious effort to uphold these responsibilities to both society and the environment. Dilmah Conservation works towards the sustainable use of the environment in partnership with other organisations including the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the Field Ornithology Group of Sri Lanka (FOGSL), the Sri Lanka Association for the Advancement of Science (SLAAS) and a number of professional and academic institutions including several local universities. The Dilmah Conservation effort has, as its objectives, to mainstream sustainability, conserve Sri Lanka’s biological wealth, restore ecosystems, gather data, information and facts for the advancement of knowledge, support environment and nature education, empower indigenous communities and offset negative impacts of monoculture on tea estates. With the 2010 Declaration of a Core Commitment to Sustainability, Dilmah further reaffirmed its commitment to sustainable initiatives with environmental protection at its core. Some of the major projects launched by Dilmah Conservation revolve around the creation of reconciliation programmes by using nature as a catalyst, introduction to sustainable initiatives in the spheres of agriculture and the implementation of programmes on the protection of species habitat and biodiversity through public service announcements and other media. The initiatives of Dilmah Conservation aim to foster respect for the environment and ensure its protection by encouraging harmonious coexistence between man and nature. We, at Dilmah, believe that every individual and business has an obligation to ensure that a sustainable interaction with the environment is maintained at all times.

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Dilmah owes its success to the quality of Ceylon Tea. Our business was founded therefore on an enduring connection to the land and the communities in which we operate. We have pioneered a comprehensive commitment to minimizing our impact on the planet, fostering respect for the environment and ensuring its protection by encouraging a harmonious coexistence of man and nature. We believe that conservation is ultimately about people and the future of the human race, that efforts in conservation have associated human well-being and poverty reduction outcomes. These core values allow us to meet and exceed our customers’ expectations of sustainability. My sons, Dilhan and Malik, and I are joined by the third generation of the Dilmah Family in our dedication to this cause. Together we reaffirm the unshakeable family commitment to the values that make Dilmah much more than just another tea. Merrill J. Fernando Settlor of Dilmah Conservation & Founder of Dilmah

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Bioremediation through the use of Biochar Biochar is becoming an innovative step towards addressing soil deterioration that occurs through over-farming and unsustainable chemical fertilisation.

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Biochar can increase soil fertility, agricultural productivity and protect against foliar and soilbourne diseases. It is a stable solid, rich in carbon and can endure in soil for thousands of years.

‘Biochar’ is a term used for charcoal when it is used for particular purposes, namely as a soil amendment. Biochar is created by the pyrolysis of biomass (firing biomass without oxygen). In this context, we have used refused tea as biomass. Biochar can increase soil fertility, increase agricultural productivity and provide protection against some foliar and soil-bourne diseases. Biochar is a stable solid, rich in carbon and can endure in soil for thousands of years. Biochar is also under investigation as an approach towards carbon sequestration, to produce negative carbon dioxide emissions. Thus, Biochar has the potential to help mitigate climate change by way of carbon sequestration. As part of Dilmah Conservation’s Biomediation Programme, a new machine was invented to convert waste tea generated from our own factories into Biochar. With the creation of a prototype, the tea waste was successfully and efficiently converted and Dilmah will place these machines in some of our plantations and main agriculture hubs to improve productivity. This machine can additionally convert paddy husk and sawmill waste into Biochar. This machine uses Dilmah’s waste oil (a by-product of tea bagging machines) to ignite the process and to produce the energy required for the conversion. We have installed suction methods to forcibly take the toxic syn gas out of the machine, in order to reduce airpollution at this stage and purify the gas using a few layers of water screens. At a later stage, this gas is used to fuel the machine and dry the biomass.

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We have seen visible results; not only in the yield, but also in the quality of the texture of the leaf. The leaf is succulent with good colour. We are continuing to see progress in terms of tasting and identifying contents. - Jeevanthe Senaratne, Manager, Pelmadulla Tea Estate

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Home away from home for orphaned elephant calves Giving abandoned elephant calves a second chance via a compressive rescue and rehabilitation programme.

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This rehabilitation centre offers elephant calves who are separated from their mothers a chance to become independent in order to be released back into the wild eventually.

Since its establishment in 1995, close to a hundred orphaned elephant calves have passed through the Elephant Transit Home (ETH) on the road to rehabilitation to be eventually released back into the wild. The brainchild of Sri Lanka’s Department of Wildlife Conservation, the ETH is built on an expanse of land in close proximity to the Udawalawe National Park in south eastern Sri Lanka. This rehabilitation centre offers elephant calves who have been separated from their mothers a chance to become independent in order to be released back into the wild eventually. The centre also gives the general public a chance to view elephant calves in their natural habitat. Dilmah Conservation continues to support the functions of the ETH financially as well as through upgrades to the existing facility. This includes a solar array which facilitates the preparation of warm milk for the resident pachyderms and an ultraviolet steriliser that ensures germ free water at the facility. Additionally, the facilities within the transit home have been upgraded with refurbished buildings, better sanitation facilities and paved walkways to facilitate easy movement. The Dilmah Conservation managed Elephant Information Centre (EIC) geared to disseminate information to the public was upgraded in 2013 with a series of new panels and audio visual equipment.

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Presently, the Elephant Transit Home (ETH) which was founded in 1995 at the Udawalawe National Park is home to 40 orphaned or abandoned elephant calves between the ages of 1-5 years. These rescued elephants who cannot survive in the wild alone are nurtured and cared for by a dedicated team of keepers before being released back in to the wild.

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Conserving the Sri Lankan elephant means protecting people; because protecting nature results in, ultimately, protecting our people. - Dr. Vijitha Perera, Head of the Elephant Transit Home in Uda Walawe

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With Sri Lanka’s expanding population, the encroachment of man into existing elephant habitats has dramatically increased, leading to a human-elephant conflict which takes a vicious toll on elephant populations. It is to address this situation that Dilmah Conservation established the Elephant Information Centre (EIC). This centre plays a pivotal role in educating the general public and, most importantly, future generations of this country on the importance of conserving the Sri Lankan elephant.

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Community empowerment through cultural development Following the colourfully complex lives and livelihoods of Sri Lanka’s nomadic Telengu community through Dilmah Conservation’s Culture and Indigenous Communities Programme.

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Many South Asian countries have clans or tribes that specialise in ‘snake charming’. In Sri Lanka, they are known as ‘Ahikuntaka’ or ‘Kuthadi’ who engage in snake charming as a traditional means of livelihood. These clans possess the skill to charm a number of snakes including cobras and vipers. It is a part of their cultural inheritance.

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As a minority community with distinctive cultural and social practices, the Ahikuntaka continue to enrich Sri Lanka’s diverse cultural landscape.

Nomadic lifestyles, colourful attire and a hint of mystery surround the Sri Lankan Telengu or Ahikuntaka people who are said to descend from an ancient group of nomads from Andra Pradesh in India. As a minority community with distinctive cultural and social practices, which include snake charming, palm reading and entertaining the public using monkeys and other animals, the Ahikuntaka continue to enrich Sri Lanka’s diverse cultural landscape. In recent times, changes in attitudes and economic considerations have affected the continuity of the community’s wandering lifestyle and livelihoods. Many have been forced to abandon traditional ways of living and seek employment, often menial jobs that offer no job security or dignity, to support themselves and their families. Our efforts to support this community include the upliftment of their current social standing by empowering them through the Culture and Indigenous Communities Programme. The Sri Lanka Nomad Cultural Centre and People’s Theatre in Thambuttegama in NorthCentral Sri Lanka was designed and built as part of this initiative and was presented to the Sri Lankan Telengu community by Dilmah Founder Merrill J. Fernando in November 2013. Additionally, Dilmah Conservation facilitated a comprehensive socioeconomic study of the Ahikuntaka community in collaboration with the University of Colombo. The findings of this research are included in the publication Traditional Communities in Sri Lanka: The Ahikuntaka.

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Indigenous people enrich and enhance the cultural diversity of the society we live in. I believe it is our duty to help them live their lives with honour and integrity. - Founder of Dilmah, Merrill J. Fernando

The Sri Lanka Nomad Cultural Centre and People’s Theatre was declared open by Dilmah Founder Merrill J. Fernando amidst a gathering of the community and representatives from the Thambuttegama Divisional Secretariat.

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“With pride we mention that, even though we are a minority community, our contribution towards nourishing Sri Lankan cultural diversity is significant. Our cultural identity plays a major role in that context. For a slight elaboration, we make note of the snake charming and monkey performing, fortune telling and gypsy lifestyle which distinguishes the Ahikuntaka community from others.” - This is an excerpt from the Kudagama Charter which was ratified on the banks of the Rajangana Tank, in Kudagama, Thambuttegama during the Dilmah Conservation sponsored Ahikuntaka Varigasabha held on 28 January 2011. The Charter was signed by five leaders of the community, Nadarajah of Kudagama, Egatannage Masanna of Andarabedda, Anawattu Masanna of Kalawewa, M. Rasakumar of Aligambe and Karupan Silva of Sirivallipuram who represented different clans within the Ahikuntaka community. The Ahikuntaka community in Sri Lanka was able to hold this tribal meeting for the first time in six decades.

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Working to preserve Sri Lanka’s marine wonders Preserving marine habitats and recording their natural gifts whilst promoting sustainable eco-tourism in shipwreck sites as a future strategy to safeguard these sites.

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Shipwrecks are identified as potential eco-tourism destinations where a multitude of marine species thrive on a man-made location.

The Indian Ocean surrounding Sri Lanka is home to a diverse range of fish, coral and a host of other marine life including undisturbed marine forests and shipwreck sites. These underwater paradises are a treasure trove of information and potential diving location for eco-friendly divers. Having identified marine conservation as one of its priority areas, Dilmah Conservation initiated its Marine Habitat & Species Conservation Programme to research and document some of Sri Lanka’s pristine coastal areas in the north and east. This includes research work carried out in Kayankerni, situated off the eastern coastal belt, which represents a relatively undisturbed marine environment with an abundance of associated marine life. The marine fauna and flora found within the Kayankerni reef are being documented to establish a basis for elevating its conservation status in the future. In addition, Dilmah Conservation has been identifying potential shipwreck sites on the eastern and northern seabed in order to preserve their integrity and to document their status. Shipwrecks are identified as potential eco-tourism destinations where a multitude of marine species thrive on a man-made location. Their future survival will depend largely on their documentation and re-branding the sites as possible eco-tourism locations in the wake of a decision to salvage shipwreck sites for commercial purposes.

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As part of the Marine Habitat & Species Conservation Programme, Dilmah Conservation has accorded special focus to enhancing the conservation status of shipwreck sites in Sri Lanka’s waters. Dilmah Conservation has engaged in documenting the wrecks of the British Sergeant, a merchant vessel that sank after coming under fire when it altered its course to help the aircraft carrier HMS Hermes in 1942, and SS Lady McCallum, a cargo ship which ran aground in 1926, located off the Kayankerni Reef are also being assessed towards helping protect the unique and diverse ecosystems they host.

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Practicing fishery for ornamental aquariums creates adverse impacts on Sri Lanka’s marine life. If reefs are protected and the collection of fish banned at the site, these reefs are expected to improve dramatically in 3-4 years.

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Kayankerni Reef in the eastern seaboard of Sri Lanka represents a relatively undisturbed marine environment with an abundance of associated marine life. This reef is unusually rich in habitat and faunal diversity compared to other similar locations. According to the findings of a limited sampling carried out, 9 species of Algae, 3 species of Seagrass, 115 species of invertebrates including 51 species of coral, 206 species of fish and 1 species of sea turtle have been documented.

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Preserving Sri Lanka’s marine archaeological heritage In its efforts to conserve Sri Lanka’s marine life, Dilmah Conservation documents vulnerable coral reefs whilst affording special attention to enhancing the conservation status of historical shipwreck sites which are host to rich, but delicate ecosystems. It was on such an excursion off the coast of Mannar that the Dilmah Conservation dive team encountered a number of manmade objects including an unusual remnant identified to be a chariot wheel made of a durable metal. Preliminary observations including the considerable soft coral cover indicate that these relics scattered on the ocean bed could be of substantial value. In an endeavour to explore the site further, a special expedition was recently concluded along with representatives of the Maritime Archaeology unit, Central Cultural Fund of Sri Lanka. Preliminary expert observations have indicated that this location marks the wreck of a wooden ship belonging to either the Dutch or Portuguese period. The Portuguese colonisation of Ceylon lasted from 1505–1658, while the Dutch Period ensued from 1640 - 1796. Aside from the durable metal wheel measuring between 100 - 120 centimetres and the noteworthy distribution of other remnants, a considerable scattering of the ship’s stone ballast was also recorded. The dispersion of stone ballast material offers noteworthy evidence of the time span to which this erstwhile vessel belonged to, as stone bricks were a traditional form of ballast which would be typically replaced by the likes of iron or led in vessels built after the industrial revolution. Historically, stones or sand were placed at the bottom of a ship’s keel to render the vessel more stable and upright, especially when a ship was sailing without a full cargo shipment. The distinctive chariot wheel could hold important clues as to what was being transported in this vessel when it sank. The team from the Central Cultural Fund obtained samples from the site for carbon dating purposed in order to correctly approximate the years to which these artefacts belong.

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Where the wild horses roam... An affirmation of our commitment to conserving Sri Lanka’s diverse natural and cultural heritage.

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The second largest island of the Palk Strait in Northern Sri Lanka, Delft is home to a captivating population of wild horses, a legacy left behind by the Portuguese.

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The history of Delft has been shaped by British, Portuguese and Dutch colonists who left enduring impressions of their stunning lime and coral architecture and famed wild horses.

The second largest among Sri Lanka’s northern islands, Delft is home to nearly 5,000 residents and is renowned for its unique wild horse population. Located in the Palk Strait southwest of Jaffna, Delft was named in honour of the Dutch City of ‘Delft’ by a colonial Dutch Governor of Ceylon, Rijckloff van Goens. Both the natural and cultural history of Delft has been shaped by Sri Lanka’s colonial relationships with British, Portuguese and Dutch colonists who left enduring impressions of their presence on the island ranging from its stunning lime and coral architecture to its famed horses. Dilmah Conservation is in the process of establishing a programme in Delft in an effort to preserve its distinctive natural and cultural heritage. Alleviating concerns relating to the scarcity of drinking water which is detrimentally affecting both the island’s residents and its diminishing wild horse population, has been identified as a priority. As such, measures towards installing a solar-powered pump at a well with water suitable for the horses’ consumption are underway. An equine census, mapping of underground water sources and a natural resource profile will also be undertaken in order to enhance environmental conservation efforts. It is expected that the programme will be further expanded to support the livelihood development of local communities while promoting the preservation of Delft’s natural wonder and cultural heritage in a manner that ensures greater sustainability.

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The love for all living creatures is the most noble attribute of man. - Charles Darwin

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DELFT

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The islanders of Delft, like the wild horses, depend on the fresh water supply at ‘Devil’s Well’; one of the only fresh water sources on the island. They too are faced with the hardship of finding fresh and clean drinking water for everyday necessities. Today, a largely fishing based community, the inhabitants of Delft also produce unique Palmyrah handicrafts. Although the island was isolated from the rest of the country during the three decade long armed conflict, it is now easily accessible from the Sri Lankan mainland.

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On the wings of a butterfly… Conserving fragile butterfly populations through the creation of urban green spaces.

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Butterflies are an indicator of a healthy environment that is conducive for nature to thrive in. However, in recent times, butterfly numbers in urban settings have begun to decline rapidly.

Butterflies are fragile creatures that are sensitive to environmental and ecological changes. Their abundance is an indicator of a healthy environment that is conducive for nature to thrive in. In recent times, butterfly numbers in urban settings have shown decline with the destruction of their natural habitats. The butterfly garden located at the MJF Centre Moratuwa, a part of the Dilmah Conservation Sustainable Agriculture Research Centre (DCSARC), was established to attract disappearing butterfly populations back into urban green spaces. This garden was created after careful planning, which included the identification of host plants which are integral to their existence. Two years after its completion, the garden plays host to over 50 species of butterflies and the concept is now being replicated in other parts of Colombo. Four carefully planned butterfly gardens have now been established at Royal College in Colombo 7, at the Lady Ridgeway Children’s Hospital in Colombo 8, the Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute for International Relations and Strategic Studies and at the Central Environmental Authority premises just outside Colombo in Sri Jayawardenapura, Kotte. The gardens were created using plants from the DCSARC nursery. These spaces, whilst nurturing butterfly populations, will also provide visually pleasing urban havens for people to relax in and take a break from the trials of daily life.

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As butterfly numbers improve, so do those of their predators. Additionally, butterflies help distribute pollen across western Sri Lanka, increasing vegetative land cover which leads to the absorption of more Carbon Dioxide.

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School children from various regions of the island visit the Butterfly Garden established by Dilmah Conservation at the Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute for International Relations and Strategic Studies. This garden was declared open at ‘Who Cares about Nature’; a two day event that focused on the role of business in serving the community and environment.

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Promoting sustainable lifestyles through organic agrarian practices Focusing attention on healthy living and balanced nutrition as a tool to address limitations in urban lifestyles by creating eco-friendly spaces to nurture organic food crops.

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The centre provides practical training and information on home gardening and sustainable agricultural practices to promote healthy lifestyles amongst children and adults.

The Dilmah Conservation Sustainable Agriculture Research Centre (DCSARC) was established at the MJF Centre in Moratuwa as a research cum education centre to carry out studies on high yielding crops, to grow organic vegetables, to provide a place where practical training and information could be offered on home gardening and sustainable agricultural practices, and to promote healthy lifestyles amongst school children and adults. The modern demand for resource-intensive agricultural produce is leading to many lifestyle diseases as a result of chemical fertilisers used to grow disease resistant vegetables in shorter periods of time. At the DCSARC, several varieties of vegetables, leafy greens and fruits are grown using organic methods and zero application of agro chemicals. The centre also disseminates information on creating gardens in limited spaces as well as creating vertical agriculture models using recyclable material. A majority of the produce are sun-dried or seeds extracted to be replanted. The remainder is stored to be distributed to visitors who attend awareness programmes or visit the centre. Additionally, as part of an extension programme on sustainable nutritional gardens, a portion of the vegetables produced are handed over to provide meals for differently-abled children attending the Rainbow Centre also located at the MJF Centre Moratuwa.

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Unpredictable weather conditions are leading to the decline in food crops all over the world with warnings of an imminent food shortage in the near future. In order to address and remedy the situation, a practical concept called ‘Garden in a Tray’ was introduced by DCSARC. This miniature garden consists of 25 one month old vegetable plants grown in a special tray, and includes tomato, okra, aubergine, capsicum, chilli, salad leaves, bitter gourd, beetroot, bushita pea and cabbage. These trays are ideal for any household including apartments with limited space. Once fully grown, the trays can provide a crop of vegetables for up to three months.

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There are over 45 varieties of herbs, 55 varieties of vegetables and 10 varieties of fruit grown at the DCSARC in Moratuwa. Attention is given to native, rare varieties in an effort to promote these healthy, native plants sourced organically.

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In 2013, DCSARC received the organic certification of Sri Cert, a certification body established to endorse and certify planting material producers and merchants of vegetable and chilli seedlings, export agriculture crops and ornamental plants.

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DCSARC

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Home gardening is a traditional concept promoted under the extension programme of the DCSARC. With innovation and expert knowledge on the subject, DCSARC endeavours to re-introduce the concept of home gardening among urban communities using innovative methods that would better suite modern lifestyles. It is envisaged to go beyond the traditional home gardening concept by diversifying the crops and planning for optimum utilisation of the land available. As an initial step, DCSARC has provided selected families with technical know-how of preparing and maintaining a sustainable home garden. Seeds and plants were provided free of charge. DCSARC agriculture training sessions at the Community Learning Centre located within the premises of the MJF Centre Moratuwa for interested groups will continue whilst providing seeds and plants at subsidised prices.

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Facilitating the discovery of new species Amphibian and reptile discoveries made in sensitive areas prone to habitat destruction demonstrate the resilience of nature and its creations.

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Frogs are an important indicator of ecosystems with biodiversity, referring to the number of species in a given area and using it to gauge the health of an ecosystem.

The discovery of novel species from the wild, through Dilmah Conservation facilitated research, is a landmark in biodiversity conservation efforts in Sri Lanka. The programme is highlighted by the discovery of the highly threatened Ranwella’s Spined Tree Frog (Polypedates ranwellai) in 2012, from the Gilimale Forest Reserve in the Ratnapura District. This was followed in 2013 by the discovery of eight new species of frogs in the Pseudophilautus genus, only found in Sri Lanka and nearby India, through a study carried out in one of Sri Lanka’s biodiversity hotspots – the Peak Wilderness (Sripada) Sanctuary and World Heritage Site in the Central Highlands. The conservation status of seven of these species have been categorised as Critically Endangered. Both localities where the species were discovered are threatened by a spate of human related activities. The research was carried out in partnership with the Herpetological Foundation of Sri Lanka. The discoveries are a positive indicator of the diversity of amphibian life in Sri Lanka. Frogs are an important indicator of ecosystems with biodiversity, referring to the number of species in a given area and using it to gauge the health of an ecosystem. The species are named after nine individuals who have worked for the betterment of the conservation sector and the country in general.

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This initiative supports specialised research on amphibian and reptile species in Sri Lanka towards improving their conservation status. We will continue to expand these activities towards their documentation and preservation.

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NOVEL SPECIES

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Protection and conservation for the Sirens of the Sea Extinct means gone forever! Protecting and conserving dugong populations in Sri Lanka, one animal at a time. 189

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The 2012 National Red List classifies the Dugong as vulnerable.

Dilmah Conservation facilitated the study of some of Sri Lanka’s most fragile marine ecosystems and its diverse fauna and flora as part of its marine conservation initiative. This includes work carried out to protect the dugong (Dugong dugon), the only representative of the order of mammals known as Sirenia in Sri Lanka. The 2012 National Red List classifies the dugong as vulnerable. As part of ongoing work aimed at protecting this threatened species, Sri Lanka became a signatory to the Memorandum of Understanding on the Conservation and Management of Dugongs and Their Habitats throughout their Range (Dugong MOU) in January 2012. The Dugong MOU operates under the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS). In 2013, as part of ongoing dugong conservation work, Dilmah Conservation initiated a series of activities to protect this species. These include workshops for students in Sri Lanka’s Northern Province, group discussions with fishing communities and working with the education sector to disseminate information on the dugong. Print and audio visual aids containing vital information were produced in Tamil -the common local language- whilst a puppet theatre was specially commissioned as a tool to convey the message to a wider audience.

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Excessive hunting of dugongs in the past caused this tragedy. We came to know about their importance too late. If people like you had educated us in the past, the situation would have been otherwise. - Sinnaiyah Mailvaganam, Fisherman from Mannar, in the North of Sri Lanka

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DUGONG

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Dilmah Conservation took an entirely novel approach to protecting and conserving the globally threatened dugong. A puppet show depicting why we should protect the gentle dugong, the threats they face and what communities can do to protect them was shown to school children in Sri Lanka’s Northern Province.

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The dugong conservation initiative by Dilmah Conservation has opened our eyes to the impending fate of this creature. The puppet show, while being entertaining, gave our children the chance to learn about the dugong. I am sincerely grateful for their efforts. I hope the work of Dilmah Conservation continues to enrich the biodiversity of the Northern regions of Sri Lanka. - P. E. Croos

Principal of Arippu R. C. Tamil Mahavidyalaya, Chilawathurai

In 2012, Dilmah Conservation hosted eminent British Marine Biologist Dr. Nicholas Pilcher for a series of educational and informative lectures on dugong conservation. Dr. Pitcher discussed the state of the dugong population in local waters with reflections on the past and the possibilities for the future. He also took a closer look at marine conservation strategies in the world.

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Habitat enrichment in Thoppigala When war robbed this landscape of its dignity, we rejuvenated it with the power of nature. Every tree planted on this once wounded landscape is an acknowledgement of the quest for peace.

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The Thoppigala Monument honours the heroes who fought and gave their lives to bring peace to Sri Lanka. The design is based on a simple theme of diminishing and expanding sets of concentric circles. The diminishing circles represent the attention of the world community over Sri Lanka during our war against terrorism, while that of the expanding circles symbolise the message of peace. The interspaces of the circles are strewn with fine sand representing the universe. A circle is depicted at the centre to represent the world. The area is further emphasized by the cover of well manicured grass. Above the equator, an eye-shaped elevated podium is carved to represent Sri Lanka and its administrative mechanism which gave direction, determination and meaningful purpose to end the war against terrorism. On this podium, firmly placed in the shape of an arc, are four large boulders selected from the area itself. They embody the Sri Lanka Army, Navy, Air Force, Police and Civil Defence Force. The location of the eternal flame is at the centre of the monument and symbolises the cosmic pillar that joins and separates the earth and heaven. Constantly radiating from it is the vibration of peace. The eternal flame beacons the power, strength and warmth of our message of peace to the nations across the world and beyond; resonating the joy of establishing order out of chaos.

The Thoppigala Heritage Park was designed not only as an area which celebrates the peaceful integration of all communities in the aftermath of the 30 year long war, but it is the foundation for establishing a development process that seeks to lift the area and its people generally. The park contains the Thoppigala memorial - dedicated to the lives lost during the battle for peace - the Eastern Theatre of the Sri Lanka Army, the Dilmah Conservation Heritage Centre and a number of facilities for visitors, including a fully functional camp site, nature trail and trek to the Thoppigala peak.

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THOPPIGALA

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An ecologically sensitive and diverse region, the area surrounding the Thoppigala Rock is now conserved with the creation of the Thoppigala Heritage Park.

Once located at the centre of some of the fiercest fighting that took place at the end of the now concluded war, Thoppigala Rock (also known as Baron’s Cap or Kudumbimalai) is an important destination in Sri Lanka’s Eastern Province. An ecologically sensitive and diverse region, the area surrounding the Thoppigala Rock is now conserved with the creation of the Thoppigala Heritage Park under habitat enrichment activities of Dilmah Conservation and is carried out in partnership with the Sri Lanka Army. Conservation work in Thoppigala commenced with the planting of 20,000 native trees, emphasising on fruit varieties, to bring about socioeconomic benefits to the people of the area while nurturing a habitat for birds and animals. Working with the Sri Lanka Army’s Eastern Command, the Dilmah Conservation Heritage Centre was established at the Thoppigala Heritage Park, where the environment of Sri Lanka and its biodiversity is presented in 3D models. The Thoppigala Heritage Park also consists of the Thoppigala memorial, the Eastern Theatre of the Sri Lanka Army, a visitor centre, a souvenir shop, a campsite and a nature trail to the Thoppigala Rock.

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During a recent survey in Thoppigala, a remarkable 121 species of birds, 32 species of butterflies, seven species of mammals, 14 species of reptiles and amphibians, and 15 species of dragonflies and damselflies were identified.

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THOPPIGALA

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Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Secretary to the Ministry of Defence and Urban Development, the retired Commanders of Sri Lanka Army and Air Force, Architect Nihal Bodhinayake and Dilmah Founder Merrill J. Fernando during the inauguration ceremony of the Thoppigala Heritage Park.

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Members of the Sri Lanka armed forces bow their heads in respect to the fallen war heroes of Sri Lanka at the Thoppigala Memorial. The park was conceptualised and designed by Chartered Architect Nihal Bodhinayake who framed it in the context of national and universal triumph of peace over war and victory for all ethnic groups in Sri Lanka.

THOPPIGALA

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In 2012, Dilmah Conservation commenced a programme to plant 20,000 native trees in the area, emphasising on fruit varieties to bring socioeconomic benefits to the people and create a habitat for birds and animals. This was done in collaboration with the Forest Department with support from the Sri Lanka Army. Taking the concept of sustainability a step further, Dilmah established the first Dilmah Conservation Heritage Centre which presents the environment of Sri Lanka and its unique biodiversity in a series of three dimensional models and other educational features for students and adult visitors alike.

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To coincide with the opening of the park in April 2013 and to continue its humanitarian efforts in Thoppigala, the MJF Charitable Foundation provided 1,500 students from schools in the area with school uniforms and footwear. Through the Foundation’s Small Entrepreneur Programme (SEP), individuals marginalised due to the country’s concluded civil conflict were also granted with necessary equipment and funding to launch a vocational-based business. This effort of the SEP continues, supporting and empowering these individuals even today.

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Scientific revival for Jaffna’s youth By rebuilding a fallen edifice, we share the message of peace and address the needs of the future generation’s right to access information and education.

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The Thondaimannaru Field Research Station was built with the aim of rejuvenating scientific education in the Jaffna peninsula.

In February 2013, the newly constructed Thondaimannaru Field Research Station was vested on its hereditary custodians – the Field Work Centre (FWC), Jaffna’s scientific community and the people of the Northern Province. This marked the beginning of a series of activities spearheaded by Dilmah Conservation aimed at rejuvenating scientific education in the Jaffna peninsula. The Field Research Station was built as part of the Reconciliation Through the Power of Nature Programme carried out, since the end of the war, by Dilmah Conservation in partnership with the Field Ornithology Group of Sri Lanka (FOGSL) and the Centre for Children’s Happiness in Jaffna (CCH). The Thondaimannaru Field Research Station serves as the coordinating body for nearly 100 school-based Nature Appreciation Clubs established in the Northern Province. In November 2013, students and teachers representing 23 schools across the Jaffna District, guided by resource persons from the Field Work Centre and the Jaffna University, participated in a series of student-led biodiversity assessments in the Jaffna peninsula. Training included methods of identification, observation and documentation, hands on experience in ecological research and specimen collection methodologies. With the rebuilding of the Thondaimannaru Field Research Station, Jaffna’s scientific community will once again be able to inculcate scientific learning and thinking in Jaffna’s youth.

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I was the secretary when we lost the Thondaimannaru Field Research Station. It is ironic that after the lapse of almost 30 years, I am here as the President of the same society to lay the foundation stone to rebuild my long lost friend - Professor K. Sinnathamby President of the Jaffna Field Work Centre during the foundation stone laying ceremony to rebuild the Field Research Station which was destroyed during the conflict.

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Professor Sarath Kotagama and Professor Nimal Gunatilleke with Dilhan C. Fernando, son of Dilmah Founder Merrill J. Fernando at the opening of the Thondaimannaru Field Research Station built by Dilmah Conservation in February 2013.

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Strengthening communities towards sustainable tea cultivation Supporting community tea planters assures the quality of tea leaves and the socio-economic wellbeing of this deserving community

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It is essential to acknowledge that sustaining a healthy crop is integral to the socio-economic wellbeing of the community tea planters.

Tea smallholders contribute over half of the total amount of tea produced in Sri Lanka. However, few attempts have been made to resolve concerns pertaining to low yield and quality. It is essential to acknowledge that sustaining a healthy crop is integral to the socio-economic wellbeing of these community tea planters. In order to support smallholders by helping them increase the quantity and quality of their tea leaves, Dilmah Conservation initiated the ‘Bought Leaf’ Project at the Hunuwela Estate towards providing relevant guidance and strengthening local capacities and networks. Following the completion of a comprehensive baseline survey, conducted in consultation with community stakeholders to identify factors relating to the reduction in leaf quantity and quality and a socio-economic assessment, programmes geared to raise awareness on the means and benefits of improving small scale production are underway. It is anticipated that this project will be developed towards addressing local needs in relation to enhancing community coordination for leaf collection, awareness on organic cultivation, fertiliser application, soil conservation, pest management, disease prevention and pruning practices, and interlinked skills development.

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Life’s most urgent question is: What are you doing for others? - Martin Luther King, Jr.

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Using nature as a tool for reconciling local communities Reconciling communities scarred by the devastating outcomes of war using the rejuvenating resonance of nature.

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The initial stages of the programme saw children and youth, who were deprived of visiting and appreciating many locations in Sri Lanka due to the now concluded war, attend a series of classes, workshops and share information on the study of birds and nature, through exchange programmes and field excursions to the North, South and the East of the island.

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RECONCILIATION THROUGH THE POWER OF NATURE

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Using nature as a tool to build solidarity between communities is the central theme of the Reconciliation Through the Power of Nature Programme carried out by Dilmah Conservation in partnership with the Field Ornithology Group of Sri Lanka (FOGSL) and the Centre for Children’s Happiness (CCH) in Jaffna . Following the conclusion of the three decade long war in Sri Lanka, the need for reconciliation was of paramount importance as the root causes and distrust between communities prevailed despite the end of hostilities. Reconciliation through the Power of Nature aimed to build a shared Sri Lankan identity with Jaffna’s younger generation as its principle target. A series of workshops and field studies were carried out for students in the Jaffna District. Training included lessons on ecology, bird watching and identification, as well as building their knowledge on the environment. The programme also included the publication of Sri Lanka’s first Tamil language book on birds - The Birds of Sri Lanka - in a joint effort between Dilmah Conservation and the FOGSL.

Fostering a shared appreciation for Sri Lanka’s natural wealth In an effort to consolidate and strengthen the efforts undertaken by the Reconciliation Through the Power of Nature Programme and the Dugong Awareness Initiative, Dilmah Conservation supported the establishment of school-centred Nature Appreciation Clubs in the Northern Province. 60 clubs were established in the Jaffna District and a further 45 were set up in the Mannar District. These clubs were founded towards encouraging students to embrace the importance of social and environmental responsibility, the conservation of biodiversity and to provide them with a sustained forum to learn and actively explore their interest in nature.

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Nature is therapeutic and it provides the necessary background for any type of reconciliation. Through years of studying nature, my experiences very clearly indicate that once we go into nature we forget all our differences. - Professor Sarath Kotagama, Department of Zoology, University of Colombo

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During the 71 riots I lost many of my family members and I was so angry with the then ruling party. Therefore, we should understand that there is bitterness in the lives of the people living in the North, as they all faced similar situations. That is why using a platform such as nature to reconcile communities would be the ideal approach for Sri Lanka Udaya Gammanpila

Provincial Minister of Agriculture, Agrarian Development, Irrigation, Trade and Environment

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A panel discussion, following the theme of ‘Reconciliation Through the Power of Nature’, was held at a two day event organised by Dilmah Conservation in early 2014. The discussion addressed the importance of promoting and strengthening environmental and nature education. The distinguished panel was headed by Hon. Udaya Gammanpila, Minister of Agriculture, Agrarian Development, Irrigation, Trade and Environment in the Western Provincial Council, Professor Sarath Kotagama from the Department of Zoology, University of Colombo, Mr. K. Raja Ram, Committee Member of the Jaffna Peace Council and moderated by Dr. Jehan Perera, Executive Director at the National Peace Council of Sri Lanka. With constructive feedback from the audience, the panel examined how children who have begun to appreciate and understand the natural world could convey the message of conservation to their parents, brothers and sisters and, in turn, influence whole communities to alter their perspective on protecting their natural surroundings. While exploring examples of previous attempts made by various schools and organisations to promote the conservation of nature through a new generation of thoughtful and well-informed kids, the panel sought to encourage comments and responses from the audience members, prompting their views on the subjects. Many agreed that children were the ideal ambassadors of this message.

At the event, special attention was accorded to overcoming the fear and phobia of snakes in children. With the supervision of adults, many children visited the Ahikuntaka tents, on location, to touch and connect with these creatures.

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Dignified empowerment for indigenous communities Empowering the Indigenous Veddah community of Sri Lanka towards preserving their cultural, social and historic identity.

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President Mahinda Rajapaksa is welcomed by the Indigenous Veddah community at the Varigasabha in 2011.

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Dilmah Conservation also undertook a socio-economic assessment of the Coastal Veddah communities in the Batticaloa and Trincomalee Districts of Sri Lanka. This indigenous group was subject to grave difficulties as a consequence of the conflict and our efforts were aimed at extending support to them for sustainable livelihood initiatives. In addition to this, Dilmah Conservation has also engaged in supporting and documenting the Coastal Veddah community’s traditional Sadangu celebrations.

VEDDAH

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The lives and livelihoods of the Veddah are primarily dependent and intricately intertwined with nature. Their isolation from the mainstream community has helped preserve this identity.

Identified as the original inhabitants of Sri Lanka with a history spanning many thousand years, the Veddah continue to live in relative isolation in their forest dwellings in some of Sri Lanka’s most remote areas. Their lives and livelihoods are primarily dependent and intricately intertwined with nature. Their relative isolation from the mainstream community has helped preserve their unique identity. However in the recent past, changing times and resultant economic development have influenced and affected the continuation of their traditional lives. In 2013, Dilmah Conservation through its Culture and Indigenous Communities Programme established a Handicraft and Pottery Centre for Sri Lanka’s Veddah community at their Community Heritage Centre in Dambana, in Sri Lanka’s Uva Province. This initiative is aimed at empowering the Veddah community and to support them with their traditional livelihoods in a dignified manner. Additionally, Dilmah Conservation produced a publication documenting the lives and livelihoods of the indigenous Veddah community in Sri Lanka titled Indigenous Communities in Sri Lanka: The Veddah. The publication chronicles, in detail, the lives of the Coastal Veddahs of the country.

VEDDAH

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A people of the forest, this hunter-gatherer community has lived in remote jungle areas for centuries. Today, they have reconnected with other Veddah tribes in the island and gained recognition of their indigenous identity.

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In 2011, Dilmah supported the Veddah community to hold a traditional gathering or Varigasabha. This special event saw the Dambana and Coastal Veddahs meet for the first time in the Eastern Province and brought together clan members from all over Sri Lanka to discuss their issues and find solutions to the problems the community faces.

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The religion of the Veddahs is centred on a cult of ancestral spirits and various rituals and ceremonies. These include the famous ‘Kiri Koraha’ ceremony which is performed for their ancestral spirits. During the ritual they address themselves as the ‘People of the Forest’ and speak a distinct language which is of Indo-Aryan descent.

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As a part of this initiative, Dilmah Conservation also supported the construction of the Veddah Handicraft and Pottery Centre in Dambana, which was handed over to the community in August 2013. This facility provides for the preservation of indigenous aesthetic traditions, while helping members of the community develop related income generating opportunities.

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Art and craft paves way for new lease in life Creating original art and craft inspired by the natural wealth of the Udawalawe National Park whilst empowering a community to reach their true potential.

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Traditionally, a community of brick-makers, the villagers lost their ability to continue with their long-established livelihood mainly due to competition from mechanised operations.

Mankada is an initiative of the MJF Charitable Foundation Centre for Empowerment through Traditional Sri Lankan Arts and Crafts which was set up primarily to support and sustainably empower marginalised communities living on the periphery of the Udawalawe National Park in south eastern Sri Lanka. Traditionally, a community of brick-makers, they lost their ability to continue with their time-honoured livelihood mainly due to competition from mechanised operations. Dilmah Conservation worked closely with the MJF Charitable Foundation to set up Mankada as a training centre cum display gallery and commissioned a master potter to train the community to produce items that have better market value. A state of the art kiln and mechanised pottery wheels enable the women potters of Mankada to produce a variety of objects. They include one of a kind handmade earthenware, replicas of animals, pendants, mugs, teapots, tea bag holders and a variety of beautiful and original craft, and terracotta jewellery. The creative inspiration behind a majority of Mankada products are based on the variety of animal species found inside the Udawalawe National Park. These ethically handmade products are shared with consumers worldwide through the Dilmah distributor network.

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A key cause promoted by this ethical centre for pottery and handcraft is the conservation of the Asian elephant. Earthenware mugs, pendants and other handmade pieces endorsing this effort are specially designed at Mankada.

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So many of us received employment opportunities through this project. I was able to improve my family’s living conditions, buy land and build a house with what I earned. - Anoma Perera, a potter employed at the Mankada Traditional Arts and Crafts Centre

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MANKADA

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World Cup winning All Blacks coach, Sir Graham Henry looks on while Master Potter Ajith Perera works on new earthenware designs for the Mankada Pottery Centre.

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A unique addition to the collection of earthenware products at Mankada are the intricately handmade pendants portraying endemic mammal and fish species found throughout Sri Lanka. The proficient female potters also produce vibrant and stunning impressions of terra-cotta vessels. These creations are marketed to consumers worldwide through the Dilmah Partner Network. Mankada creations continue to be recognised for their sustainability and artistic value all across the world.

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Ecosystem restoration to address forest loss in Batticaloa Creating ecological balance in Batticaloa while addressing the economic needs of beneficiary communities in a project aimed at giving back – to the environment and the people.

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Producing cashew for commercial purposes will help enhance the livelihoods and strengthen the socio-economic standing of the community in Batticaloa.

Commenced in 2011 as a project to rejuvenate the natural environment in Batticaloa in Sri Lanka’s Eastern Province, the Greening Batticaloa initiative has now completed its third phase with the planting of an additional 50,000 cashew (Anacardium occidentale) trees in selected locations throughout the District. Cashew is a tropical tree that produces the cashew nut and the cashew apple. The cashew nut, in its raw form, dried form or roasted form, has significant demand, especially during the festive seasons of the country. Therefore, in the long-term, suitable support will be given to the community to produce cashew for commercial purposes which will help enhance their livelihoods, and strengthen the socioeconomic standing of the community, in addition to improving the ecology of Batticaloa. Batticaloa is a bustling coastal city that suffered dual natural disasters during a three decade period. This includes a powerful cyclone that devastated the area in 1978 and the Asian Tsunami that destroyed its coastline in 2004. These natural disasters, combined with population growth and its associated effects, including loss of forest cover, are identified as some of the factors contributing to the excessive heat experienced in the area. To date, the initiative has resulted in the planting of over 200,000 cashew plants. The trees will form a protective green canopy which will adjust the ecosystem through carbon absorption mechanisms.

GREENING BATTICALOA

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Dilmah conducts many projects focussed on various aspects related to the environment in order to offset the carbon produced, either directly or indirectly, during the principal operations being carried out at the head office at Peliyagoda. The Greening Batticaloa initiative is part of Dilmah’s reforestation activities taking place in the Eastern Province. The cashew plant’s carbon sequestration potential extends to over 100 years with a rotation of 60 years on an average quality site with optimal climatic conditions is 37.4 tC/ha above an initial vegetation carbon baseline of 2.8 tC/ha (Sambane, 2005).

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In the future, we will also be introducing a cashew processing industry to Batticaloa, so that it will create employment opportunities for the youth of this district. - T.D. Nidharshan, Greening Batticaloa Project Manager

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This initiative, implemented in partnership with the Sri Lanka Army, the Sri Lanka Cashew Corporation and the Vakarai Divisional Secretariat, will provide a stable and sustainable income generating opportunity for beneficiaries by facilitating links to local sales and exports. The potential for profit in planting cash crops will also ensure that future efforts for planting will be sustained by the community. Members of the Sri Lanka Army were also presented with an allocation of cashew seedlings as part of the project.

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Adopting proactive conservation practices within our estates Creating biological corridors that serve as connecting forestation for the re-establishment of wildlife migration patterns are a step towards successful connectivity conservation in Sri Lanka.

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Tea estates can be effectively adapted to better accommodate the wildlife found near and amidst natural vegetation or managed forests with a view of biodiversity conservation.

Biological corridors connecting fragmented landscapes help protect and enrich the habitats of both flora and fauna by providing links for the movement of isolated species. Fostering narrow strips of forested land to serve as pathways between dispersed habitats offer safe passage for wildlife where migration patterns have been disrupted. As semi-natural plantations, tea estates can be effectively adapted to better accommodate the wildlife found near and amidst natural vegetation or managed forests with a view of habitat and biodiversity conservation. The Dilmah Bioregional Initiative centred on this concept of connectivity conservation aims to support the formation of biological corridors and related landscape management practices within the estates from which Dilmah Tea is sourced. Given the unique and delicate ecosystems found in relation to changing elevations within tea estates, this scheme seeks to cultivate patchy secondary forest areas towards securing habitats and enhancing the biodiversity and conservation value of Dilmah’s land holdings and Sri Lanka at large. A pilot scale biological corridor will be established at Dilmah’s Endena Estate in Ratnapura. This estate which is bordered by the Delwala and Walankanda Protected Areas managed by the Sri Lanka Department of Forest Conservation will be connected through Endena and the neighbouring villages by way of promoting restorative home gardening initiatives.

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Human activities inevitably fragment natural habitats and ecosystems, restricting the movement of species and isolating them within gradually shrinking spaces with limited resources for survival. The establishment of biological corridors greatly enhances their continued preservation.

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Achieving carbon neutrality while sustaining the environment Dilmah pledges to become Carbon Neutral by the year 2017 and makes an annual commitment of 1 million USD for the conservation of nature and community empowerment. This pledge was made during ‘Who Cares about Nature’, a two day event organised by Dilmah Conservation, which focused on the role of business in serving the community and the environment. Dilmah Conservation will continue to develop its efforts in mainstreaming sustainability, conserving Sri Lanka’s biological wealth, restoring ecosystems, gathering of data, information and facts for the advancement of knowledge, supporting environment and nature education, and empowering indigenous and traditional communities. The Carbon Neutral plan for Dilmah, conducted by the University of Colombo and the National Cleaner Production Centre, consists of comprehensive recommendations for the optimisation of the production process and other utilities, including transportation, environment and energy management system implementation, conducting training and awareness programmes within the organisation, energy and resource efficiency improvement, augmentation of renewable energy sources and the implementation of other emission reduction options. A 100kw solar array was installed at the Peliyagoda factory premises in February 2013 as part of an initiative to generate power using renewable energy sources. Dilmah is also working towards neutralising its carbon emissions through reforestation and afforestation projects, such as the Greening Batticaloa initiative. To support these endeavours further, Dilmah will develop a series of hydro power projects, the first being a mini hydro project generating a power output of 1.65 kW, in Dilmah’s Queensberry Estate in Nawalapitiya.

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Landmark publications to inspire change Educating and encouraging the public to conserve nature and empower minority communities through the publication of numerous volumes on Sri Lanka’s biodiversity and cultural heritage.

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In line with its commitment to promoting accessible environmental education, Dilmah Conservation has launched a series of publications on Sri Lanka’s natural and cultural heritage. This non-profit initiative seeks to offer current and comprehensive research in the form of readily accessible visual guides with the aim of creating awareness, sharing knowledge and making available information on our country’s flora, fauna and the indigenous and nomad communities to the general public. Jaiva Vividhathwaye Sri Lankeeya Urumaya (Our Biological Heritage), a collaboration with the Young Biologists Association, brings to life diverse biological landscapes of Sri Lanka and its abundant beauty and uniqueness. Dilmah Conservation sponsored the publication of Sri Lanka’s Forests: Nature at Your Service by the Sri Lanka Association for the Advancement of Science (SLAAS) due to its significant contribution to identifying, raising awareness and understanding the value of Sri Lanka’s diverse forests. As the title suggests, A Pictorial Guide to Udawalawe National Park, depicts this vast elephant sanctuary through vivid imagery, informative illustrations and colourful representations of its flora and fauna. The completion of this book would have been impossible without the indispensable efforts of the Department of Wildlife Conservation and the Field Ornithology Group of Sri Lanka. The publication, Indigenous Communities in Sri Lanka: The Veddahs, chronicles in detail the lives of the coastal Veddahs of the country. For years given very little recognition, the coastal Veddahs had integrated over time with the mainstream communities in the East and were leading obscure lives with little recognition of their true identities. Therefore the publication and the studies have been presented at a crucial and decisive time for the community. Traditional Communities in Sri Lanka: The Ahikuntaka documents the lives and livelihood methods of the Ahikuntaka, their caste system, religious beliefs, court system and traditional medication methods. The publication is based on the scientific studies of Professor Ranjith Bandara of the Colombo University and includes several case studies following the community’s way of life. An introduction to Common Spiders of Sri Lanka could be identified as the first general guide to the spiders of Sri Lanka and offers scientific and factual information in a simple and easy-to-read manner in order to help readers overcome the general fear and animosity towards these gentle creatures whose existence is of vital value to humans. Another attempt at battling a local animal phobia, Recognising Deadly Venomous Snakes from Harmless Snakes of Sri Lanka attempts to portray snakes in their role as a vital part of our ecosystem while trying to dismiss the misconceptions of these creatures as being deadly and dangerous. Due to our widespread fear and loathing, many harmless snake species are inadvertently killed by humans. This publication strives to change this attitude in its readership. A unique addition to this collection of volumes is the Field Guide on Pest Management Strategies as Alternatives to Methyl Bromide in Sri Lanka. The book highlights the perilous consequences of utilising Methyl Bromide as a pesticide and discusses environmentally safe alternatives in pest management in Sri Lanka.

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You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit me. - C.S. Lewis

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Business is a Matter of Human Service

Articles inside

Adopting proactive conservation practices within our estates

Landmark Publications to inspire change

Dignified empowerment for indigenous communities

Art and craft paves way for new lease in life

Ecosystem restoration to address forest loss in Batticaloa

Using nature as a tool for reconciling local communities

Scientific revival for Jaffna’s youth

Habitat enrichment in Thoppigala

Facilitating the discovery of new amphibian species

Where the wild horses roam

Promoting sustainable lifestyles through organic agrarian practices

On the wings of a butterfly

Protection and conservation for the Sirens of the Sea

Community empowerment through cultural development

Working to preserve Sri Lanka’s marine wonders

Bioremediation through the use of Biochar