In many ways, his story began, and will likely finish here. Anthony Richard was born in Kalmunai over 60 years ago, and educated on the East Coast. His journeys have taken him to Africa, Europe, and to Canada where he settled with his family before establishing ties with Rose Charities years later. He returned immediately following the tsunami in 2004 to help rescue his extended family from the disaster, and to support Rose Charities emergency relief efforts that came to support survivors in Kalmunai and surrounds. He has stayed since. Anthony has gone on, with support and funding from Rose Charities and other donors, to develop education and founded micro-credit programs that have benefited thousands of families affected by natural disasters and civil war over the last 15 years.

He personally oversaw the construction and development of the Rose Lagoon Hotel, and manages it today. Anthony Richard knows and understands his people better than most and has proven capable of bridging any cultural gap. Most days you can catch him at the hotel, and his warm and welcoming manner will lead to fascinating stories, with a little prodding. Maybe he is unknown outside of Eastern province, but here, he is a true local hero.

 https://www.rosecharities.ca

https://wwwfacebook.com/RoseCharitiesInternational/

Rose Charities is a Canadian registered charity founded by Josephine de Freitas and her brother William Grut in Vancouver, BC. It is an organic umbrella of 25 individual projects now in over 14 countries, secular and non-political, focusing on education, health and community support. Rose Charities responded immediately to devastating 2004 Indian ocean earthquake and tsunami by organising and sending medical team of volunteers to the east coast of Sri Lanka. With the support of the local Sri Lankan community from British Columbia, including Yoga Yogendran, Anthony teamed up with Dr Mike Seear. A Global TV team accompanied the group to document & report events.

Rose Charities is a Canadian registered charity founded by Josephine de Freitas and her brother William Grut in Vancouver, BC. It is an organic umbrella of 25 individual projects now in over 14 countries, secular and non-political, focusing on education, health and community support. Rose Charities responded immediately to devastating 2004 Indian ocean earthquake and tsunami by organising and sending medical team of volunteers to the east coast of Sri Lanka. With the support of the local Sri Lankan community from British Columbia, including Yoga Yogendran, Anthony teamed up with Dr Mike Seear. A Global TV team accompanied the group to document & report events.

Dr Seear and volunteer nurses from BC Children’s Hospital, established a paediatric ward at Kalmunai Base Hospital, with the support of local Dr Bahawan, setup a nursing program for young mothers & their children in the tsunami relief camps, provided vaccinations and even established a herb garden on the grounds, all in the first weeks. This was the beginning of Rose Charities Sri Lanka project.

https://rosemicrocredit.org/

 https://www.facebook.com/Rose-Charities-Srilanka-109526465755887/

Headed by Anthony with a local board of advisors made up of community leaders, from medical, legal and educational backgrounds, RCSL was formed. Continued volunteer specialists flowed from Rose Charities Canada. With donations and guidance from Switzerland and Canada, RCSL expanded into providing grief counselling, pre-schooling, community skills training and education programs such as A & O-level Exam prep, university scholarships  and ‘Sports for Peace’ children’s programs, bringing together Singhalese & Tamil; Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist & Christian, engaging all the various ethnic communities. It has also formed its own Medical Centre (supporting families in need) and has even assisted in the establishment of the largest private hospital on the east coast in Batticaloa, opening in 2020.

Five years after arriving, Anthony & his team branched into micro credit, and over the last 10 years, has assisted thousands of families escaping poverty by establishing home-based businesses, initiated mostly by women. Operations started in Kalmunai but expanded into the countryside, into areas most affected by the civil war.

Are Anthony’s partners, and a generous donor throughout these charity projects and funded the construction & initial operation of the RLH. With their hotel & business background they continue to provide support going forward. Their international language school CSLI in Vancouver ran regular fund raising projects over the years, and Lawrence provided strategic ground support following the tsunami in 2005. CSLI also provided funding to allow volunteer teachers to offer English classes to RCSL volunteers & staff. Together with Anthony they developed the successful Rose Lanka Micro Credit project. Anthony and the Keenans operate Rose Lagoon Hotel as a social investment project, for the purpose of creating & providing jobs, and offering training & education to the surrounding communities, by developing tourism on the east coast while still supporting RCSL efforts.

To create a Place of Peace, our Heaven on Earth.

Our Goal

Our priority is to abundantly deliver to all visitors a unique experience, where they sleep & relax soundly, celebrate with tasty meals, memorable relationships, creative hotel facilities, while loving the beauty of its surrounds. Most of all, RLH reflects genuine, friendly, caring service while enhancing the quality of the lives of all families in this community.