Donation event in Kabethigollawa 2012
Kalmat Foundation is a non-profit organization that was created in 2011 to help educate children in South Asia.
Our aim is to sponsor and support the education of 500 children in the island nation of Sri Lanka every year. Though, primary and secondary education in Sri Lanka is government funded, it is immensely difficult for many poverty-stricken or low income families to keep their children in school and ensure the continuity of their education as they cannot afford to buy basic school necessities.
Therefore, Kalmat Foundation wishes to provide guidance and support to these children by giving them school supplies which includes: Books, Stationary, School Essentials and School Shoes. Taking care of these basic school needs will encourage and ensure that these children will continue their education.
Since its commencement, Kalmat Foundation has been greatly successful with impacting over 2000 lives in Sri Lanka.
Kalmat Foundation Inc. is exempt from Federal income tax under section 501(c)(3) of the US Internal Revenue Code.
We seek to improve life and the future of children in South Asia by providing their basic needs to continue their education. We want them to grow up in a healthy environment and have a fair chance to achieve their full potential.
Kalmat Foundation envisions a bigger and brighter future for these children and hopes to remain involved in their lives.
A donation will be a step ahead towards bringing about a huge difference in the lives of the Sri Lankan children who are passionate to learn and conquer their dreams one day.
Poverty Indicators in Sri Lanka 2009/20010.
(retrieved on 05.08.2011)
HIES p.8, Table 2.5, 2009-2010 No schooling from HIES data: 4.4% (note this is population aged 5 years and above, because 5 years is the beginning of school age).
(retrieved on 01.19.2013)
24.7% has an education only up to 5th grade.
(retrieved on 01.19.2013)
Information about Sri Lanka was taken from Wikipedia.org.
(retrieved on 06.05.2011)
Sri Lanka is a very poor country and the children are caught up in the poverty cycle and they can not seem to get out of it. The society is such, that if you are born poor you will die poor. The only way out is getting a good education and then moving on to a higher education in order to improve their lives.
These children come from really poor backgrounds and their parents are working hard to keep food on the table or they have been left behind due to economic situations and are under the care of a local Orphanage. These children have been through a lot in life even at such a young age (ages 8 and up). Some of them come to school and study all day with an empty stomach. May be the only meal they will ever get is dinner. Most of the children can not afford shoes. They wear rubber flip flops to school and those seem to have worn out while others can not even afford a pair of flip flops. When you add shoes, books, and school essentials that you need for class; one would think it is better to stay at home and look after the younger children or work in the farm rather than attend school. This is a struggle everyday. Twenty Five percent (25%) of the children drop out of school after grade 5 to work helping their parents with what ever and earning money rather than spending it on school and education. These are the children that will benefit from this grant.
President & Co-Founder: Mrs. Rita Mathew
Regional Manager ONTrack - Hilti Inc., Plano, Texas, USA
Secretary & Director: Ms. Ruth Mathew
Community Liaison/Volunteer Manager, Urbana 12, Inter Varsity Christian Fellowship - Urbana, IL, USA
Treasurer & Director: Mr. Binu Abraham
Audit & Collections Manager - City of Tulsa, Tulsa, OK, USA
Director: Mrs. Kumari Fonseka Abraham
Project Management Professional - Tulsa, OK, USA
Director: Mrs. Cassie Turnage
Realtor - McGraw Realtors, Tulsa, OK, USA
Director: Dr. Zsolt Marton
Staff Scientist - Radiation Monitoring Devices, Inc., Boston, MA, USA
CEO & Co-Founder: Mr. John C. Mathew
Senior Beverage and Food Operations Manager Renaissance Dallas Hotel, Marriott International, Dallas, Texas, USA
"Giving Hope for a new Generation." -Kalmat Foundation inc.
Sign up to spread the word about Kalmat Foundation around the world
Please email
john@kalmatfoundation.org or call us 1-918-960-9448 to be added to Advocate Family.
Several ways you could be a part of the volunteers at Kalmat Foundation
Please email
john@kalmatfoundation.org or call us 1-918-960-9448 to be added to the group of Volunteers.
Sign up to be a sponsor for our Foundation.
We will add your company's logo on all our printed material and on our website to help promote your business. Sponsorship levels for one year are: Silver $250, Gold $500 and Platinum $1000.
Please email
john@kalmatfoundation.org or call us 1-918-960-9448 to be a sponsor.
Volunteers putting the book packages together for the children
Ambassadors at the donation event
Directors talking with the children at the school