“When we give alms with our hearts, we give well”
Dear friends, colleagues, supporters, and collaborative partners,
Trust this finds you and your loved ones safe and well notwithstanding the challenges and uncertainties we have had to confront and overcome over the past 18+ months. Let us hold fast to our faith and confidence that we will soon be out of the woods and living in a far better world in 2022 and beyond.
Delightful News!!!
Mr. Matt Levy – VACD Australia Director & VACD Ambassador pictured below won a bronze and a gold medal at his fifth and recently concluded Paralympic 2021 games in Tokyo.
Matt has won 3 Gold, 1 Silver and 6 Bronze medals over these past years in Men’s Paralympic Swimming in freestyle, butterfly, and medley. You can find more information on Matt on the following weblink:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matt_Levy
Our Primary Focus for 2022 and Fund-raising campaign:
The VACD Australia board decided to ensure that all our centres complied with national and international occupational health and safety requirements and to replace unsafe furniture with custom built specialised desks and chairs recommended for children with congenital impairments by medical specialists. The Board also decided to replace insecure physical and vocational training equipment, provide new musical instruments and audiovisual equipment for dance & music training essential for children with special needs and procure equipment required for public awareness campaigns, seminars, and educational workshops.
We will be conducting public awareness campaigns, seminars, and education workshops in remote villages in the Uva province of Sri Lanka in collaboration with the Uva provincial social, probation, education and health ministries and local medical specialists, religious & community leaders as part of our outreach campaign.
The estimated cost of these initiatives is approximately A$ 50,000 or US$ 36,000. Our fund-raising campaign is ‘live’ and will remain so until we reach our funding target. The campaign slide deck can be viewed on the following hyperlink:
https://www.vacd.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/July-2021-VACD-Presentation_Global.pdf/
Also, the Board decided to ensure that all our centres are covered by a comprehensive set of public liability and insurance policies relating to Sri Lankan leadership team, staff, children, visitors, equipment, and premises.
Sponsors and Collaborative Partner News:
Teardrop Hotels: – https://www.teardrop-hotels.com/
New and improved guidelines for travel to Sri Lanka and exclusive offers by Teardrop Hotels, Sri Lanka can be viewed on the following hyperlink:
https://mailchi.mp/55a10db4e179/sri-lanka-open-to-fully-vaccinated-travellers-11221675
Australia Sri Lanka Medical Aid Team (AUSLMAT) – https://auslmat.org/
This article by Dr. Quintus De Zylva – Chairman AUSLMAT and Chairman of Sri Lanka Cricket Foundation of Victoria, Australia was published in the latest Pahana ( https://pahana.com.au ) magazine and can be viewed on the following hyperlink: https://online.pubhtml5.com/ojhs/qxpo/#p=38
Please continue to support our mission by donating via:
Donations in Australian Dollars (tax deductible for Australian taxpayers) can be made via: https://www.vacd.org.au/donate/ by credit card, PayPal & direct deposits while cash, cheque or direct transfers can be made to:
The VACD Australia Bank account:
Account Name: Volunteers to Assist Children with Disabilities Limited
Bank: Commonwealth Bank of Australia
Branch: Cnr of Liverpool & Castlereagh Streets, Sydney NSW 2000
Account No: 1130 2156
Branch No: 062-016
BIC/SWIFT Code: CTBAAU2S
Donations in US Dollars (tax deductible for USA Taxpayers) by cheque to:
The Treasurer,
Volunteers to Assist Children with Disabilities Limited (USA) Inc.
No: 629, Vermont Street,
Westfield NJ 07090, USA
Donations in Sri Lanka rupees can be made via the VACD Sri Lanka bank account as follows:
Name of account: Volunteers to Assist Children with Disabilities Private Limited
Bank: Seylan Bank
Branch: 240 Badulla Road, Bandarawela, Sri Lanka
Account No: 046035439722001
SWIFT Code: SEYBLKLX Bank Code: 7287 Branch Code: 46
A big “Thank You” to all of you…
Your generosity and the commitment of our VACD colleagues have enabled us to achieve our objectives for children with disabilities and their families since we began our journey on 27th December 2011. We remain deeply appreciative of the support from each and every one of you to sustain our mission and accomplish much for our children and their families over the past years. Our journey is bound to be long and challenging given the sheer number of children and families we need to care for who need your love, compassion, and support.
We welcome you to be partners with us on this benevolent journey!
Please reach out to us at: fstephen@bigpond.net.au or visit us at: https://www.vacd.org.au/ and please do 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, one by one!!!
Many thanks, best wishes, and warmest regards…. Felix
Felix Stephen
Chairman of the Board of Directors – VACD Ltd. Sydney – Australia – https://www.vacd.org.au/
Member of the Advisory Board – VACD USA – https://vacdusa.org/
Member of the Advisory Board – VACD Sri Lanka
Member of the Advisory Board – Two leaves Foundation Sri Lanka
Senior Associate – Cognoscenti Group – Sydney – Australia- http://www.cognoscenti.global/
Member of Investment Committee – Arrive Wealth Management – Brisbane – Australia – https://www.arrivewealthmanagement.com.au/