Interview with Hilary Perera, treasurer of NONA Lanka and Manager of NONA Gardens.
“It is so special that people in the Netherlands support girls in Sri Lanka”
Hilary Perera (66), since 2012 member of the board of NONA Lanka, the local organization of NONA Foundation in Sri Lanka. During his visit in the Netherlands in March this year for the 10th years Anniversary of NONA Foundation, we spoke with him about his work and duties for the NONA Foundation.
How have you become involved in the work of NONA Foundation?
“Untill a few years ago I was a taxi driver. During one of those trips Nimal and Guido came into my car and we start talking. Nimal explained me what was the reson for them to be in Sri Lanka and the work NONA Foundation was doing in our country.
From that time I became their standard driver. After we become knowing each other better Nimal asked me if I would like to work for NONA Foundation in Sri Lanka. A few talks later we agreed to work and started the work in Sri Lanka.”
What are your duties?
“I am the treasurer of NONA Lanka, and the assistent of de president and I am the manager of NONA Gardens. This means that I do send a monthly overview of all income and expenses to the chairman of NONA Foundation. Together with Chamali I do visit the NEA- and REA- girls and report over those visits. The plans they do may have I communicate with Nimal. Together with the Board in the Netherlands he decide if this will be a good reliable plan and is worth to invest in. If that would be the case, I will visit the girl again to give her a reasonable first loan. I keep visiting thoise girls on a regular bases and keep updating the reports to Nimal.”
At the same time you are the manager of NONA gardens.
“That is correct. I visit NONA Gardens almost every day and stimulatie them to start working at on the property.
Also many building material need to be delivered at the construction site, meaning that I do have lots on contacts with different companies and construction firms. On almost daily bases I do have contact with Nimal to report the status of the land and all things that need to be done in the days to come. Together we decide the progress of the activities. Recently we have build a water well and this year we will build at least a few home units for the girls. Al these activities keep me busy every day.
Another issue is to reserve a part of the property for agricultural activities and make the soil as vertile as possible.
When the first girls do arrive they need to work on the land to produce vegetable products that can be sold to people living in the surroundings of NONA Gardens. This will be very good for their personal development too”.
How many Boardmembers do NONA Lanka have ?
“The Board consist of 9 members. Twice per month we do have a meeting to discuss all recent developments and to examine what need to be done in the weeks to come and how we can support the girls we would like to help."
In March you visited the Netherlands for 10 days. How did you experience that?
“It was very special to meet so many people with interest for our mission. For me as a Sri Lankan it is heartwarming to see that so many people in the Netherlands have a heart for those poor and abused girls in Sri Lanka and want to support them and the projects we initiated. The Netherlands is very well developed: the cities, roads etc. In Sri Lanka only the larger cities are well developed. Everything is very clean and nice. They told me that teh Netherlands in the past was like we are now in Sri Lanka, so I keep hope that one day it will be the same for us in Sri Lanka as it is in your country now.”
Hilary Perera (66), since 2012 member of the board of NONA Lanka, the local organization of NONA Foundation in Sri Lanka. During his visit in the Netherlands in March this year for the 10th years Anniversary of NONA Foundation, we spoke with him about his work and duties for the NONA Foundation.
How have you become involved in the work of NONA Foundation?
“Untill a few years ago I was a taxi driver. During one of those trips Nimal and Guido came into my car and we start talking. Nimal explained me what was the reson for them to be in Sri Lanka and the work NONA Foundation was doing in our country.
From that time I became their standard driver. After we become knowing each other better Nimal asked me if I would like to work for NONA Foundation in Sri Lanka. A few talks later we agreed to work and started the work in Sri Lanka.”
What are your duties?
“I am the treasurer of NONA Lanka, and the assistent of de president and I am the manager of NONA Gardens. This means that I do send a monthly overview of all income and expenses to the chairman of NONA Foundation. Together with Chamali I do visit the NEA- and REA- girls and report over those visits. The plans they do may have I communicate with Nimal. Together with the Board in the Netherlands he decide if this will be a good reliable plan and is worth to invest in. If that would be the case, I will visit the girl again to give her a reasonable first loan. I keep visiting thoise girls on a regular bases and keep updating the reports to Nimal.”
At the same time you are the manager of NONA gardens.
“That is correct. I visit NONA Gardens almost every day and stimulatie them to start working at on the property.
Also many building material need to be delivered at the construction site, meaning that I do have lots on contacts with different companies and construction firms. On almost daily bases I do have contact with Nimal to report the status of the land and all things that need to be done in the days to come. Together we decide the progress of the activities. Recently we have build a water well and this year we will build at least a few home units for the girls. Al these activities keep me busy every day.
Another issue is to reserve a part of the property for agricultural activities and make the soil as vertile as possible.
When the first girls do arrive they need to work on the land to produce vegetable products that can be sold to people living in the surroundings of NONA Gardens. This will be very good for their personal development too”.
How many Boardmembers do NONA Lanka have ?
“The Board consist of 9 members. Twice per month we do have a meeting to discuss all recent developments and to examine what need to be done in the weeks to come and how we can support the girls we would like to help."
In March you visited the Netherlands for 10 days. How did you experience that?
“It was very special to meet so many people with interest for our mission. For me as a Sri Lankan it is heartwarming to see that so many people in the Netherlands have a heart for those poor and abused girls in Sri Lanka and want to support them and the projects we initiated. The Netherlands is very well developed: the cities, roads etc. In Sri Lanka only the larger cities are well developed. Everything is very clean and nice. They told me that teh Netherlands in the past was like we are now in Sri Lanka, so I keep hope that one day it will be the same for us in Sri Lanka as it is in your country now.”