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Never before has my son got a gift like this.                       It was over 10 years ago that the ‘Be an Angel’ Project saw the light of day when
             See how happy he is.                                                from within the staff of the Hemas Group emerged an idea that it would generate
                                                                                 much happiness if they could “gift a gift” to impoverished children.

                                                                                 Wholehearted was the support from all levels of the staff when the idea was mooted
             A mother in a half-built home in Kanagarayakulam                    that they could contribute their mite towards this project to bring a smile to children
                                                                                 battered by poverty.

                                                                                 “Super,” was the collection, recalls the Executive Director of the Hemas Outreach
                                                                                 Foundation, Shiromi Masakorala, of that first year of ‘Be an Angel’ in 2011, when dolls,
                                                                                 cars, books and a lot more wrapped in pink or blue with tiny labels wishing the children
                                                                                 a ‘Merry Christmas’ piled up at the Hemas office.
                                                                                 It was the army that readily offered logistical support with the lead being taken
                                                                                 by senior officers. The very first ‘Be an Angel’ distribution of gifts took place in the
                                                                                 Ambalnagar area in Kilinochchi.

                                                                                 Gift-giving followed every year, thereafter, from Nagarkovil and Chundikulam (in the
                                                                                 Jaffna district) to Weli Oya (in the Mullaitivu district); Bogaswewa (in the Vavuniya
                                                                                 district); Mannar (in the Mannar district); Kantalai (in the Trincomalee district);
                                                                                 Katuwapitiya (in the Gampaha district); and Puttalam (in the Puttalam district). A
                                                                                 poignant and at the same time heartrending moment in Nagarkovil had been the
                                                                                 tractor-load of gifts running out, for thrilled children had been running up to the
                                                                                 vehicle several times.
                                                                                 “These children had not got a gift ever in their lives, neither had they seen colourful
                                                                                 wrapping and the smiles on their faces when they tore it open were worth a million
                                                                                 rupees,” says Shiromi.

                                                                                 Being an Angel, an annual gesture from the Hemas Group, continues in the true spirit
                                                                                 of the season, bringing immense joy to the humble and lowly and fulfilment to the
                                                                                 givers!














          102    Hemas Piyawara  - A Journey to the Future
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