Two days ago, November 26th, I decided to open the facebook group Kathaluwa in order to attract more attentions and more members.
The group had managed to obtain 150 members from direct friends and friends of friends.
This morning we have 264 members. This happened because the first 150 members had the chance to invite some of their friends & online connections on facebook.
Members have been asked to donate 2 US dollars per week and engage in helping the lives of children and adults in this area of Sri Lanka.
Reaction has been hectic from most members, but not all. It will take a while as results appear and become facts.
But money is not the only way to help this project. A fine example is an artist from Croatia, Vlado Franjevic. He is based in Liechtenstein and offered me some of his paintings to be used as logos or as e-cards or for any other commercial application for fund raising.
Vlado's unique painting called 'STAY WITH ME' has already attracted the attention of many members as a masterpiece, which I made it to be the project's main logo.
Even just being a member, a name in the drop-down member's menu in this group encourages me and others to keep our hope alive.
Many friends ask me why I do this. I tell them that I am not mother Teresa and never thought to compete with her :)) I'm a business person and invest my time wherever I feel there is future. And while business is commonly known to involve only in money-producing projects, for me this initiative is like a gym for the soul, so that I can draw energy and faith for the rest of my money discoveries.
I have discovered new friends through their reactions into this initiative. I have also discovered pretenders and hypocrits. Even enemies. All in a box :)
Another example is Allan Cockerill, a family man who writes about networking, movies, reviews etc. Allan helps me by writting in several blogs and media about Kathaluwa initiative and I regard him as a great supporter.
Another friend of friend in Athens, Greece, Eileen Botsford, offered to help by designing and hosting the website http://www.kathaluwa.org .
John Lee, right-hand officer of Jim Luce's Orphans International sent me some new fotos from his visit to Kathaluwa Learning Centre. John is back and forth in Sri Lanka during the past one year for the local operations of OIWW and now has bridged our initiative with this great NGO.
You can spot John in the photo playing spinwheel with the children and teaching them art lessons.
Another great supporter is Diogenis Venetopoulos, an offspring of a family who established cruises in Greece in early 50's. We are now considering to offer our members cruises in Greece and in the Red Sea and if they book through my companies, not only they will get a good discount, but a small percentage from the profit to go to Kathaluwa project.
For this you may visit either my relevant group on facebook 'Cruises in Greece' and follow posted instructions.
As Jim Luce says in his recent article published in the NY Times, I will do anything to help these children.
That's all for today folks !!
Thank you for visiting this poor blog and for reading this poor article.
If you would like to involve with any means, please contact me through facebook and I will be very happy to talk with you.
George Karahalios
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