The MJF Charitable Foundation (MJF CF) which was established by the Dilmah Founder Merrill J. Fernando is the humanitarian assistance it renders to underprivileged people goes much deeper than the acts of 'charity' alone.

A baseline survey for MJF CF’s dignifies and sustainable empowerment–East project was conducted by the Consultant for this Baseline Survey/MJF CF East Project, Dr.Jayaranjani Sutha, (Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Management, Uva Wellassa University of Sri Lanka) with 16 Students from the Faculties of Commerce &Management and Arts & Culture of Eastern University as enumerators during the period of 27th November 2017 to 1st December 2017. The Career Guidance Unit coordinated the student participation for this baseline survey.

The MJF CF East Project has planned to address the women empowerment, access to knowledge and skills, increase the standard of living for men and women, MJF youths’ life changes programme, small enterprise development programme, vocational training and MJF kids’ live changes programme. This survey was conducted in Korralai Pattu, Korralai Pattu North, Korralai Pattu Central, Korralai Pattu West and Korralaipattu South divisional secretariat divisions of Batticaloa district focusing quantitative and qualitative information collection.

The objectives of this survey are:

1. To assess the major problems in relation to women, men, girls’ and boys’ livelihood status, empowerment, resource accessibilities, knowledge and skill development, business development and special needs of them.
2. To identify the root causes of those problems in selected 5 DS divisions in Batticaloa district.
3. To determine the MJF’s project activities in Batticaloa district.
4. To identify the baseline for those established activities to get knowledge of the current status of an indicator before a project commences, which to monitor and assess an activity’s progress and effectiveness during implementation and after the activity is completed.