Daily Mirror Q and A with Mahela Jayawardene
On October 2, 2016, a 28-day odyssey from Point Pedro in Jaffna down to Matara, covering the entire length of the country began to collect funds to establish a cancer treatment facility in Karapitiya. Among the celebrities, who joined this venture was Mahela Jayawardena, the former Sri Lanka skipper who trail blazed the entire 670km along with hundreds of other people to support the venture. In a candid interview Jayawardena speaks of the journey and what motivated him to embark on a painful journey.
Q Mahela—the 28-day journey from Point Pedro in Jaffna down to Southern Dondra Head near Matara was a remarkable effort by the organizers to fund a cancer treatment facility in Karapitiya. Walking 670 km in 28 days is no mean task and it certainly needs a big heart to do that. How did you motivate yourself to do this?
Well, I have always engaged in charity for the last 15 years and I felt that for me the best way to help society is by doing such things. For me politics is something that does not interest and I feel I can contribute a lot in this manner and in my own little way. Sure, I have control of what I am doing and at the same time I can be part of events through which I feel I can help people. And to be involved with good people like Nathan, Sarinda and every volunteer who was part of this and were fantastic people. I have learned a lot from them.
ACL Ameer Ali, 
