Charmalee Gunaratne is a licensed architect from Sri Lanka. She is a the co- founder of Eco Abet, a not-for-profit architecture firm. Eco Abet’s mission is to provide design and architectural services to impoverished, underserved and traumatized communities around the globe.
Charmalee is a champion for those in need. She's been a dear friend to Change the Truth, loading us with flip flops to take to the orphanage in 2009 and stocking caps to take in 2010. She has spent countless hours making detailed architectural drawings of the SMK grounds (from photos and measurements provided by the director and some of the older boys) so that, if the opportunity should ever arise, a new structure can be designed or an old one renovated.
This is the second year Charmalee has participated in the Doll Project. She used Silly Bandz to decorate her doll this time around. It's really a happy coincidence; we gave Silly Bandz (brightly colored rubber band type bracelets) to the children as part of their Christmas gifts in December. The kids will be excited to see them stretched around and across their beloved banana fiber doll.
Charmalee told me she named her creation "Sili Doli" and that it symbolizes the inspiring laughter and vibrant expectations of the joyful children at St. Mary Kevin Orphanage. The doll is 17" tall.
Charmalee is a recipient of Kansas City's Central Exchange Scholarship awarded by Kauffman foundation. Outside her professional life, she is a passionate painter, sculptor and a full time mother, raising her own “Sili Doli” Hiru, who is now sixteen months old.
** You won't notice this about the doll unless you get up close and take a whiff. Charmalee placed sticks of incense inside the banana fiber body!
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