August 2018 Newsletter
August 31, 2018

We welcome new subscribers to our regular newsletter, particularly those from my LinkedIn network who requested more details about our mission for children with disabilities in Sri Lanka, offered their support and volunteered to partner us on this remarkable humane journey.

It is also wonderful to see so many of you from my LinkedIn network actively participate in this professional platform by posting articles, sharing and discussing your views and broadening your perspectives, network and knowledge in your chosen professions and careers.

Visitors to our VACD centre in Bandarawela:

Ms Yolanda Castro (Teacher & Psychopedagogist) from Spain and her friend Susana (Nurse) from Belgium paid the VACD Centre in Bandarawela a surprise visit while holidaying in the township of Ella and spent a day with our children, parents and the team. 

Left photo: Yolanda, Colonel Kumarasinghe – Secretary VACD Sri Lanka and Susana enjoying a Sri Lankan lunch. Centre photo: Yolanda with the dance instructor and students. Right photo: Yolanda and Susana with our VACD children.

Arpico Ataraxia Capital Partners our Collaborative Partners update:

Arpico Ataraxia Capital Partners (http://www.ataraxiacapitalpartners.com/) who support our mission by placing money boxes at Subway outlets to generate financial support for our mission had an article published in the Daily Financial Times on 11th July in Sri Lanka. The article can be viewed via (http://www.ft.lk/healthcare/Subway-Sri-Lanka-partners-with-VACD-as-charity-partner/45-658801/) Thank you for your continued support, dear team Arpico Ataraxia.

AuSLMAT Visit to the Base Hospital – Bandarawela

Our collaborative partners the Australia Sri Lanka Medical Aid Team (AuSLMAT) completed their annual tour of Sri Lanka and made their first ever stop-over in the Uva province visiting the Base hospitals of Diyatalawa and Bandarawela.  Their tour report can be found on: https://auslmat.org/medical-missions/

Pictured above at the Base Hospital Bandarawela from left to right are:

Mrs. Preethi de Silva – Diabetes Educator, Dr. Erosha Premaratne – Endocrinologist & General Physician, Dr. Amitha Sumanasekara – Assistant Secretary (Medical Services) Uva Provincial Ministry of Health, Dr. Quintus de Zylva – Cardiologist & President AuSLMAT and    Dr. Leelananda Gallage – District Medical Officer Base Hospital Bandarawela.

AuSLMAT Visit to the VACD center in Bandarawela:

Mrs. Preethi de Silva – Diabetes Educator, Dr. Virginia De Vos – Psychiatrist and Ms. Genny Leeworthy – Banker visited the VACD center in Bandarawela.  Virginia and Genny had lived in the central hills region of Sri Lanka, many years ago.

Left photo: Virginia, Mrs. Prabha Karunarathne (Deputy Chair VACD Sri Lanka) and Preethi. Centre photo: Preethi, Genny, Mr. Sujeeva Abeynayaka – Assistant Secretary VACD Sri Lanka, Virginia and Prabha. Right photo:  Virginia, Prabha, Preethi, Genny and Sujeeva.

We need your help for our Family Assistance Program (FAP):

The FAP initiative that we discussed in our June 2018 newsletter received its initial sponsorship, thanks to the generosity of Mrs. Preethi De Silva from AuSLMAT.

A significant number of VACD families (single parent and single income) find it extremely difficult and challenging to cope with their daily basic household expenses, medication and special necessities for their disabled children.

The VACD Family Finance & Budgeting Committee have identified some of the neediest low-income families for whom it would be compelling to give a small monthly allowance to ease their burdens. 

Please consider making a monthly donation of A$20 or its equivalent to sponsor a family, all of which will go directly to that family via the VACD bank account.  We will give you VACD bank account details and a unique alphanumeric code (to reconcile bank accounts) should you decide to join this program and make a monthly, semi-annual or annual donation that will be tax deductible for Australian sponsors.

Note: In order to comply with existing stringent child protection, legal and governance requirements VACD will not share contact details or grant access to families to any sponsor.

Please share this newsletter with your family, friends, loved ones and colleagues so that together we can make a difference in the lives of children with disabilities.

Our sincere thanks to all of you for your continued invaluable support, guidance, counselling and assistance and for being part of this incredible, challenging and immensely rewarding journey. Shall stay in close touch.

Many thanks, best wishes and warm regards…. Felix

Felix Stephen

Chairman of the Board of Directors – VACD Ltd. Sydney – Australia – http://www.vacd.org.au/

Member of the Advisory Board – VACD USA – http://www.vacdusa.org/

Member of the Advisory Board – VACD Sri Lanka

Senior Associate – Cognoscenti Group – Sydney – Australia- http://www.cognoscenti.global/

Consultant – Investment Committee – Lonsec – Sydney – Australia – https://www.lonsec.com.au/

Member of Investment Committee – Arrive Wealth Management – Brisbane – Australia – http://brisbane.arrivewealthmanagement.com.au/

Consultant – Global Financial Market Investment Research & Investment Strategy

E-mail: felixswstephen@gmail.com / fstephen@bigpond.net

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