VACD Chairman’s Annual Report to the Boards of Australia, USA & Sri Lanka: I am delighted to share with you my annual report for 2018/19 to the VACD Australia, USA and Sri Lanka boards. This was also submitted to the Australian Charities and Not-for-Profits Commission who are the Australian government’s oversight authority for missions such as ours. Please read this report on the following links:...

Thank you and our best wishes remain with you dear Mr. Nanda Matthew: We wish to place on record our deep appreciation and profound thanks to former Governor of the Uva Province, Hon. Nanda Matthew for his stewardship, counselling, guidance and assistance to establish VACD on 27th December 2011 in Bandarawela and for being the Patron of our Sri Lanka mission while he was the Governor Uva province and since his retirement in 2015. He has decided to relinquish his post as Patron VACD Sri Lanka...

Welcome to the VACD Family, Matthew Levy OAM!!! We are delighted that Matthew (Matt) Levy offered his services to our mission to uplift children with disabilities in Sri Lanka and was appointed a director to the VACD Australia board and “VACD Ambassador” at a meeting held on Monday, 17th June. Matt was awarded a "Medal of the Order of Australia" in the 2014 Australia Day honours for his services to sport as a Gold medallist in swimming at the London 2012 Paralympic games. In 2015 he was named...

We are delighted!!! Yasmin and I are delighted to be back after a hectic self-funded VACD tour of the USA, Toronto, London and Singapore from 1st May through to 1st June. A summary of our tour report will be shared with you shortly. Tax Exemption in USA!!!: The Internal Revenue Service at the Department of Treasury Cincinnati, have granted VACD USA Tax Exemption status under section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code effective 28th May 2019. This is great news for those who have made...

Devastating and deeply heart-rending Easter Sunday, 21st April 2019 in Sri Lanka: Our hearts bleed as we grieve and uphold those who lost their lives, the injured and those suffering immense losses and pain, in our thoughts and prayers. As an organisation that is proudly non-political, non-racial, non-ethnic and with no religious bias, it’s not for us to ask the never-ending question “Why?” but stand by those who need our love, understanding, consolation and support the most so that together...

VACD Bandarawela centre: We are delighted to inform you that the main VACD centre "Sir Robert Clark Centre for Children with Disabilities" in Bandarawela has now been relocated to No. 49 A, Springwaththa, Vishaka Mawatha, Bandarawela. Left photo: VACD mothers performing the traditional blessing of new premises by lighting the hearth and boiling milk (Mr. A.S.D. Alwis – VACD Sri Lanka Board of second from left and Mr. Sunil Fernando – Chairman VACD Sri Lanka third from left). Centre photo:...

VACD Badulla centre: We are delighted to inform you that the "Dora Jeanne Centre for Children with Disabilities" located at: No. 23, Keppetipola Road, Badulla is now established and operating. VACD Parents and staff performing traditional and cultural ceremonies by lighting the hearth, boiling milk and preparing milk rice at an auspicious hour. Left photo: Dr. S C Widyarathna (General Hospital Badulla) addressing parents and children and seated immediately to his right is Mr. Prasanna...

We are extremely proud of our VACD Children: It is imperative that children with disabilities are provided with the right infrastructure, facilities, coaching and training in music, dance, painting, sports, computer literacy, numeracy, life skills etc. so that they can live independent and fulfilling lives and excel in their special gifts and talents. We are extremely delighted that our VACD children who having recently shone in sports at a district, provincial and national level have now...

Wonderful News!!! - Inauguration of "The Young VACD Members' Club": On Saturday, 10th November VACD reached another high point when the "Young VACD Members' Club" (YVMC) was officially inaugurated in Bandarawela. This group of 40+ enthusiastic founder members are made up of siblings of VACD children with disabilities and their friends. We view this as a great opportunity for us to identify and groom future leaders for our mission. The team set up a members' What"App group on the day, will very...

A warm welcome to my LinkedIn network members to our regular VACD newsletters: New LinkedIn network members and others can learn more about our mission for children with disabilities in Sri Lanka by visiting:  http://www.vacd.org.au/ and partner us on this remarkable journey of empathy and benevolence.  Broaden your scope: I strongly urge all my LinkedIn network members to extend your own network, enhance your expertise and profile and create opportunities for yourselves and others...