IN MEMORIAM: PON KULENDIREN

Pon Kulendiren had a complex and multi-faceted life driven by his desire to learn and create. His passion for the written word was realized in his love of books and writing many novels. This included works of poetry and non-fiction that have received their own accolades. He was someone who chose to focus on creating change and opportunities for education for others, even as his own body weakened and his mobility faded. From the confine of his home, through his determined use of technology, he reached out to the globe to engage, fundraise and support young people with their education and creative endeavours. 

Pon Kulendiren was born in 1939 on the island of Ceylon under British rule. He knew well his country's pain of evolution and conflict. On October 11th, 2022, in Mississauga, Ontario, he passed away peacefully, surrounded by his family.

We, his family, would like to acknowledge his commitment to education and his love of books by asking you to support the Mobile Library project in Batticaloa instead of any floral tributes, wreaths or other such acts of love in his memory. He always said that every dollar matters to make a difference for many.

MOBILE LIBRARY, BATTICALOA 

The Eastern Province of Sri Lanka has remote and rural communities where children do not have access to books and early childhood programs. Something many often take for granted. These children are often raised in families who survive daily labour, facing precarious access to food and education. These communities, already among the poorest in Sri Lanka, have been further impacted by Covid and now the country's severe economic crisis. Every child needs a book to hold, look at pictures, help nurture imagination, and open their world to all possibilities. This mobile library will support these vulnerable children in remote and rural communities and provide access to books to read at an early age. Something my father, Pon Kulendiren, was very passionate about.

Donations to this appeal will go towards purchasing books and a vehicle to support the staff implementing the program. The mobile library will be run by St. John's Vocational Training Centre in Batticaloa under the supervision of Darshan Ambalavanar, the CACM Director for Community Programs. This is someone I have personally known for several years.

Donations can be made via the Visions Global Empowerment Facebook page (*Visions essentially serves as CACM’s fiscal sponsor in the U.S. and can accept donations on CACM’s behalf from countries around the world). Once received, Visions will direct 100% of donations (*minus banking fees) to CACM. This was an important decision when I selected the platform for this fundraiser to ensure that the maximum of all funds raised reaches those who need it.