A RETIRED cancer specialist has travelled to Sri Lanka with a grant approved by the Jersey Overseas Aid Commission to help businesses, communities and individuals struggling in extreme poverty.
Dr Sivasithamparam Himayakanthan, well-known by many former patients as Dr Hima, is leading a major project to help promote “income generating activity” across northern areas of the country still recovering from the “double tragedy” of a tsunami and a civil war.
Under the banner of the Island Friends Together charity, the London Royal Collage of Physicians fellow has devoted considerable time and energy to supporting vulnerable members of Sri Lankan society.
Since 2004, among other achievements, his charity has built a community centre in the remote village of Gresardy and opened an ‘Education Tuition Centre’ for communities in the small northern town of Kadduvan.
In February 2025, he joined forces with Jersey Overseas Aid for a new project designed to help provide citizens with “income-generating support”, using funds approved by the international aid and development agency.
A charity document provided to the JEP makes reference to a number of people now in a stronger financial position because of the initiative, including one woman who used the gift of a sewing machine to open up a small shop, and a male beneficiary who was able to gain contracted work cutting trees after being provided with an electric chainsaw.
Last week, on Tuesday 8 September, Dr Hima returned to Sri Lanka to embark on four weeks of targeted, income-generating charity work with a grant of £20,000 approved by the JOA.
“It is going to be very, very hard work,” Dr Hima said. “The project is twice as big as last time, but with twice the amount of workload will be twice the amount of people who are going to benefit.”
The veteran oncologist said that the work will be mainly focused in the remote, northern Sri Lankan villages of Ponnaalai, Atchelu, Kuppilan, Sulipuram, Thaiyiddy, Kalatty, Neillyan and Eluthumadduval.
“The beneficiaries chosen are in deep pockets of poverty,” he explained. “Sometimes I feel so sad, and wonder how all those people live in such tiny little places, so whatever we are bringing – even if it is just a small box with tools – it is going to create money every day, every week and every month.”
He remains as committed as ever to doing his bit to reduce the “shocking” levels of deprivation in the country of his birth.
“I used to say that you can’t clean the whole of the five mile beach, but you can certainly clean ten feet of the beach very nicely,” he said.
“My duty is to find the pockets of extreme poverty, deep in the remote areas, and help then – and it is always a great feeling when the project is a great success.”
Gilly Challinor, head of programme at Jersey Overseas Aid, said she was “incredibly proud to support Dr Hima’s upcoming visit to Sri Lanka”.
She told the JEP: “Through his work and his close connection to the local community, Hima has developed a deep understanding of the challenges people face, but also of the skills, resilience and potential that already exist within those communities.
“Many of us at JOA have had the pleasure of attending Hima’s community curry nights here in Jersey, and seeing first-hand the warmth, generosity and commitment he brings to everything he does.
“This initiative reflects that same approach: meeting people where they are, recognising their skills and talents, and helping create opportunities for sustainable livelihoods that can have a lasting impact.
“This trip aligns closely with JOA’s mission of empowering individuals and communities to thrive, and we’re excited to see the relationships, leaning and opportunities that emerge from this important work.”
