How it all started

Only few hours after the tsunami struck the Sri Lankan coast on 26th December 2004, Mr. Pierre Pringiers, Honorary Consul of Belgium in Sri Lanka and his business associates, the family Jinasena, both founders of Loadstar (Pvt) Ltd., initiated the Solideal Loadstar Rehabilitation Trust (SLRT) in order to rebuild a part of the Southern coast of Sri Lanka.

SLRT could directly help 15 000 beneficiaries through its fisheries, education, livelihood and permanent housing rehabilitation programs.

This ambitious project of 5 million Euros could be achieved thanks to the financial support of important donors such as the French Red Cross, the Belgian Red Cross and the Lions Club International Belgium and also thanks to donations from the trustees, various companies, organizations and individuals from around the world. The UNHCR recognised SLRT as the best housing project after the tsunami.

This rehabilitation project was for the two entrepreneurs, Mr. Pierre Pringiers and Mr. Tissa Jinasena, a starting point to do more for the community of Sri Lanka. When they noticed that numerous youth acquired new skills through the participation in the reconstruction of houses, schools and the repair of fishing boats and engines, but once this work was completed they went back home jobless.  Mr. Jinasena’s and Mr. Pringiers’ entrepreneurial spirit and visionary ideas inspired them to initiate the Building A Future Foundation.

Building A Future.BE was established in Belgium in February 2006 with a project account at the King Baudouin Foundation and the Building A Future Foundation was incorporated under the Sri Lankan law in March 2006.