Eric Rajah

Eric Rajah was born in Jaffna, Sri Lanka, on January 12, 1958, as the eldest out of three sons to M. S. and Florence Rajah. In 1974, he and his mother and brothers moved to Vancouver, Canada, to join his father, who had immigrated earlier. Rajah graduated from Winston Churchill High School in Vancouver in 1976. He then enrolled in the business program at the University of British Columbia. In 1978, he transferred to Canadian Union College (CUC)—now Burman University—in Lacombe, Alberta. == Career ==

After graduating from college, Rajah served as the student finance officer at CUC and later worked in Red Deer as an accountant aiming to qualify as a chartered accountant. In 1990, Rajah co-founded A Better World (ABW), an organization focused on supporting development in developing countries. == Personal life ==

After becoming a Canadian citizen in 1985, Rajah married Candyce Schafer of Lacombe. He is a member of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. == Awards and honours ==

Alberta Order of Excellence Rajah was inducted into the Alberta Order of Excellence (AOE) in 2011, gaining the Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee Medal in 2022. Meritorious Service Medal (Civil Division) In 2021, Rajah and Leavitt were announced as recipients of the Meritorious Service Medal (Civil Division) [MSM] from the Governor General of Canada for founding ABW Canada. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Rajah and Leavitt did not officially receive the MSM until May 2024. Honorary Doctor of Laws degree In May 2014, Andrews University in Michigan conferred the honorary Doctor of Laws (LL.D.) degree on Rajah. He was also the commencement speaker for two of the university's graduation ceremonies. == References ==