Dear Visitors,

We are Willemien and Michael Mansell. Willemien is an art and language teacher, born in Holland, who spent part of her childhood in the US and the Dutch West Indies. Michael is a retired petroleum engineer, born in England, who grew up in the UK, Mexico and Holland where he met Willemien.

We lived in many different places for our work, from the Nordic cold to the singeing desert heat. Apart from her teaching, Willemien worked as a volunteer in South India and Oman. Sri Lanka became our main home for a while, where we come to recharge our batteries, see our children and grandchildren and hope to contribute to the local community. We now reside in The Hague.

SOS Children’s Villages, with whom we have sponsored three children for the past 35 years, have 6 villages in Sri Lanka, one of which is in Galle. Designed by Anjalendran, it provides a loving, caring family environment for vulnerable children. It also creates a sustainable improvement of living conditions for the local community (education, medical care etc).

Sri Lanka attracted us because of its fantastic combination of stunning landscapes, captivating cultural heritage and pristine beaches. Galle Fort is one of the 8 UNESCO World Heritage Sites on the island. Within the ramparts you find a synthesis of different cultures and religions.

We bought Villa Aurora after falling in love with it during our first visit. We renovated and maintain it to suit our needs in the lovely Galle Fort. We hope you will find the house as tranquil and pleasant as we do.