Author: Purnima Pilapitiya

What is empowerment? In 2004, our Founder Merrill J. Fernando reached out to small #entrepreneurs who lost their livelihoods in the devastating Indian Ocean tsunami. This marked the beginning of the Small Entrepreneurship Programme (SEP) – an initiative that has since supported around 2,100 rising small businesses, female entrepreneurs, entrepreneurs with disabilities, and rehabilitated prisoners. One example is L. P. Anton – a struggling craftsman who used to travel to Colombo Friends in Need Society from Ambalangoda to get fitted for prosthetic limbs. We met him and supported him through the SEP with tools to expand his workshop. Today, Anton’s craftwork adorns some of Sri Lanka’s largest handicrafts and souvenir shops. The progress of his career as an artisan has not only given him the opportunity to educate his two children but also allowed him to train four other artisans in his workshop. But the SEP is much more than a grant-based programme. It involves in-depth evaluation before each grant is bestowed as a fixed sum in the form of equipment. Through close monitoring for the next two years, we ensure that beneficiaries grow not only their businesses, but their networks and their opportunities too. This is what makes the SEP a success story of #empowerment.  This June, we visited almost 90 budding small entrepreneurs in Kalkudah, on Sri Lanka’s eastern coastline. But empowerment doesn’t stop there. We also understand the need for skills development, networking, and bridging the digital literacy gap. We recently invited 37 rural female micro-entrepreneurs in the food industry of the Eastern Province to a 4-day training programme. At our Empower Culinary & Hospital School in Kalkudah, they learnt new techniques and recipes for local dishes and juices. Our own Finance and IT instructors educated them about costing, financial management, savings, and using technology for advertising while the local Public Health Inspector shared some important information on food hygiene. This June we commemorated #WorldMSMEDay2025 by recognising the need for skills and knowledge sharing to create better accessibility for small #entrepreneurs to grow their dreams. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram at @mjffoundation to learn more about how we #MaketheWorldaBetterTea.

At the Empower Culinary & Hospitality School (ECHS) we believe that following the right recipe is just as important as learning through practice and mentorship. We were excited to have culinary experts from Resplendent Ceylon to inspire our budding young chefs. Chef Nishantha Pushpakumara, Head of Culinary Standards, Resplendent Ceylon, Ishara Wijesinghe, Executive Chef, Cape Weligama and ECHS alumni Chef Wijaya Kumara (Gold Medallist, Iron Chef – 2022) also from Cape Weligama spent the day mentoring our ECHS students with an inspiring masterclass. Launched in 2016, the ECHS is Sri Lanka’s only Worldchefs certified culinary training facility and one of several empowerment programmes conducted by Dilmah’s MJF Charitable Foundation. As an inclusive learning environment, the ECHS has produced over 280 culinary professionals who have become restaurateurs and entrepreneurs in Sri Lanka and abroad.

Jemima Mohammed recounts her time as a volunteer at the MJF Foundation Centre West in Moratuwa… “The Merrill J. Fernando (MJF) Charitable Foundation is more than just a charity – it is a home and a sanctuary for many including myself. As a student freshly out of school, it was my goal to work at a non-profit organisation. However, I did not anticipate harbouring such a deep connection to a place as I have with the MJF Foundation. The community is tight-knit, and the people here never fail to welcome you with open arms. “After a customary round of introductions and a tour of the Moratuwa centre, my first day was filled with the contagious energy and laughter of the preschool students. The teachers were supportive and constantly willing to guide me on how to effectively cater to their students’ needs. A special shout out goes to all the teachers whose creativity and dedication transform delightful chaos into informative learning. Whilst being a non-profit school consisting of a preschool, primary and youth section, the Centre also offers a wide range of activities, many of which encourage the involvement of its volunteers. “In the morning, it operates as a fully functioning school where you can assist the students with their daily learning. Later, you’re free to explore a variety of extracurricular activities. If you’re eager to try your hand at carpentry, dive into the art of soap making or even learn the process of assembling a wheelchair, MJF is the place to go. Those being only a few of many activities they present. It not only provides opportunities to learn new skills but also challenges the stigma surrounding disabilities. The atmosphere at the Foundation may be warm but it is the people that truly bring it to life. Between visits to Mrs. Rehana’s and Mr. Angelo’s offices (which always promises good conversation) to savouring a good cup of Sarath Uncle’s tea, my experience as a volunteer has been nothing short of fulfilling.” If you’d like to volunteer at the MJF Charitable Foundation, which has Centres in Moratuwa, Rajagiriya, Weligama, Kalkudah and Jaffna, please complete this form: https://www.mjffoundation.org/volunteer.html or email: rehana.wettasinghe@mjffoundation.org