Now here is our story. It all began 34 years ago when..
It was certainly a phenomenon of fruitful accident leading to an unexpected unpredicted but prospective situation. We, who are presently in Sri Lanka-Belgium Association, had never harboured any thoughts of establishing connection with a highly developed European Country like Belgium or with any organization of any individual in that country. But we had established (1981) a friendship NGO called Sri Lanka China Society which had hopefully started a social service project to develop annually a neglected poor hamlet. Our expectations got retarded due to lack of capital funds. We were anxiously looking for a source of funding when we were introduced to a gentleman from Belgium named Mr. Gaston Dillen by a friend of ours named Mr. P. Dayasiri Fernando. This was in the year of 2000. Mr. Fernando at that time was attached to the Sri Lankan Mission in Brussels as Minister.
Mr. Geston Dillen was a Belgian, yet as we later understood, his heart and soul was devoted to Sri Lanka. He was so concerned about the needy people in Sri Lanka that he founded as organization called ADOPTIE SRI LANKA BELGIUM VZW. It is a charitable organization recognised by the Belgium Government, working exclusively, for the benefit of needy people in Sri Lanka.
Adoptie Sri Lanka Belgium VZW was introduced to Sri Lank China Society in the month of June 2000, by Mr. P.D. Fernando. Without wasting time we of Sri Lanka China Society presented our project proposal, which was awaiting a donor, on 9th November 2000 to Adophtie Sri Lanka. The project proposal their forwarded was approved within the next three weeks on 29th November 2000 by Adoptie Sri Lanka Belgium. The clearing of the jungle and the constriction of the Pre-School building in the neglected hamlet called Vana Mee Kanda thus started and was completed by January 2001. The soft- opening of the Pre-School with 38 children took place on 30th December 2001. A team of representatives of Adoptie Sri Lanka from Belgium officially declared open the Pre-School with a fully equipped playground on 11th August 2002. The friendship connections that were built up by Sri Lanka China Society with Adoptie Sri Lanka Belgium were later handed over to Sri Lanka Belgium Association which was founded on 19th August 2003. Since then we have carried on excellent friendship and cordial co-operation with Adoptie Sri Lanka Belgium opening up many more new projects. This is our short but exciting history. The very first meeting of Sri Lankan Belgium Association (SLBA) was held on 19th August 2003 and the following executive committee was elected.