One of the primary goals of the CREO Institute is to create a common ground where people of great creativity and commitment can work and be together. We want to partner with individuals and organizations who are applying their creativity and compassion to make a greater impact in the world.

The CREO Institute has been supporting the work of the Foundation of Goodness in Sri Lanka since 1997.

As part of our work towards building community, this summer, the CREO Institute will be visiting the Foundation of Goodness June 21 – June 27, 2010 and volunteering in the Village Heartbeat Project. We are very much looking forward to experiencing the beauty of the Sri Lankan people and country. If you are interested in learning more about our trip and in contributing to the work of this inspirational and innovative non-profit organization, please contact us at info@creoinstitute.com.

Below is the story of how the CREO Institute and Foundation of Goodness came together, written by Wanda Chaves, Founder of CREO:

I met Kushil Gunasekera two years ago in Chennai, India at a conference for social, environmental, and economic sustainability, and from the moment that I first heard Kushil speak and tell his story, I knew without a doubt that I wanted to partner with him in his efforts to fight poverty and to create better lives and a more sustainable future for thousands who live in remote villages and areas of the world. Kushil grew up in the remote Seenigama region of Sri Lanka. Unlike most who live in this area, Kushil had the opportunity to obtain an education and vowed that he would work hard to become a successful business person and return to his village to bring opportunities and a better future to all who lived there.

After completing his studies and growing a successful business in the sugar cane industry, Kushil Gunasekera returned to Seenigama and started the Foundation of Goodness in 1999. His vision for the FOG is to create a sustainable rural community model designed to inspire other regions and empower disadvantaged communities throughout the globe. Kushil has dedicated the past ten years of his life to improving the lives of thousands who live in remote villages in Sri Lanka by building homes, medical facilities, sporting facilities, and educational centers in which villagers can take English, computer, business, and a variety of classes to learn the skills that they need to improve their lives and create a better future for their families. Kushil Gunasekera has developed the "Village Heartbeat Project", centers where people who live in remote villages can come to take advantage of all of the benefits listed above free of charge. The Village Heartbeat Project centers that the Foundation of Goodness has built annually treat 19,360 patients from 25 villages free of charge; have graduated 732 women from a six course program offering to teach them skills with which they can earn a livelihood and support their families (e.g. weaving, dressmaking, bakery) and 226 men and women who have completed a program in business; have taught 938 children and youth English classes; and 662 children have completed computer classes.

Kushil also played an integral leadership role after the tsunami destroyed his village and many of the surrounding 25 villages. Much of the work and progress that the Foundation of Goodness had made was destroyed in the tsunami. However, Kushil once again took the leadership role and worked with the people in the villages to start anew, and as he says “turn the waves of destruction into waves of compassion”. In just a short year and a half after the tsunami, the Foundation of Goodness, under Kushil’s leadership, successfully rebuilt 625 new homes in communities across the Seenigama region of Sri Lanka and repaired 401 damaged homes. And they were able to accomplish this all through donations and with volunteers from around the world.... truly inspirational. I recommend that you view some of the pictures they have posted on their website under “Our Story in Pictures” on their home page.

Many generous people in Australia, the U.K., and U.S. have helped Kushil over the years to continue to change the world for the people in his communities. Last year, even the singer Bryan Adams funded the building of an Olympic sized swimming pool for the community. For the past year and a half, my college students and I have been helping Kushil and the Foundation of Goodness by obtaining computer donations and by educating the community on the amazing work that Kushil and his team have done and continue to do. My students have raised several thousand dollars to help Kushil to continue his work, and I have been able to obtain 115 computers from Disney (where I previously worked), our college, and a few local businesses to send to Sri Lanka. Many of the children who are currently using the computers that were donated had never even seen a computer before so we have been very happy to help in any way that we can to support their continued growth.

Kushil's goal is to open several more Village Heartbeat Centers in Sri Lanka and then partner with other philanthropists in other developing countries to build more Village Heartbeat Centers and thus fight poverty through education and the provision of essential services to communities in need. With the help of my students and our CREO Community, I will continue to help Kushil in his mission because I too believe that education and creativity are the keys to solving some of the world’s most critical problems.

Kushil has served and continues to be an inspirational role model for my students, our CREO Community, and I. I believe that more people should hear his story so they can see the powerful influence that just one compassionate, intelligent person can have on the lives of so many. Hopefully then more people will take the steps to become involved in helping those who are struggling in developing countries. Kushil Gunasekera is truly an inspirational human being and an example to all of us.