The SriLankadhara Society OrphanageIn Sri Lanka, as in other parts of the world, girls and boys are exploited. They are raped, enslaved, sold and trafficked. The SriLankadhara Society Infants’ Home takes in children as young as two who have been orphaned, abandoned or mistreated. They are provided with the love and care which is necessary to build trust and confidence. They are washed, nourished, clothed and medical needs taken care of, all by volunteers.
About the OrphanageThe SriLankadhara Society is a government approved charity established in 1922 by the philanthropists Dr and Mrs W. A. Silva to provide a home, care and education for destitute children. The Silva’s gave up their home and also established a school. Their former residence now houses 75 girls from 5-18 years. A building constructed in 1967 provides shelter to 25 girls and boys under 5 years. At 5 years the girls move to the bigger home, while the boys move to other facilities nearby, within the same community. The children attend the government schools close to the Home. A volunteer committee manages the facility. Admission is through the Department of Probation and Child Care and some children are referred by the Courts. The Homes are maintained with donations — monetary and in kind — from the public and monthly government grant of around $6 per child. The CrisisIt is now exceedingly difficult to maintain old buildings, provide food, clothing, education, medical care and meet utility bills with limited resources. The worldwide economic downturn, coupled with Sri Lanka’s internal crisis, has exacerbated the problem. Media Prima has visited the SriLankadhara Society Infants’ Home and personally witnessed the love that this small place represents for so many kids. The home gives a chance at life for the 100 children there. Without the home, for most, their childhoods would have been on the street exposed to drugs, violence and abuse. Instead, the home provides a positive start in life. Among the facility’s ex-residents are doctors, nurses, policemen, teachers and others who have made the transition into adulthood well. Yet the rigours of the years have taken their toll. In recent times the facility has struggled to modernise and keep pace with the demands of its young residents. The ProblemThe home is clean and the kids are happy. But to the foreign observer it lacks many things. The children have a tiny television and watch this sitting on a concrete floor. Their cribs are chipped and old. Their mattresses show signs of mould and their blankets are threadbare. The small children have no toys or learning aids. Their playground has rusty equipment that is dangerous. Care-givers have no fridge to chill food. The home has no air-conditioning and the rudimentary fans are broken. Increasingly, meeting the kids’ food requirements is a problem. SriLankadhara Society Infants’ Home desperately needs help. Media Prima's WorkMedia Prima has pledged to undertake $10,000 of capital improvements on SriLankadhara Society Infants’ Home in 2009. This includes a new generation of electricals, extensive woodwork, painting throughout, refurbished bedrooms, new bedding, soft furnishings and an array of learning aids. This will be overseen by our own team. No funds are handed over directly. Everything is provided in the form of goods or work completed. How to HelpIn order to meet the cost of feeding the 100 kids living in the SriLankadhara Society Infants’ Home, we are seeking support from our friends in Dubai and the UAE. Feeding these kids for one full year, at Sri Lanka prices, is remarkably cheap. Rice $515 Sugar $200 Dried Fruits $515 Potatoes $100 Onions $100 Milk $1000 Samaposha $675 Chick Peas $100 Wattakka $400 Coconut $400 Eggs $200 Jam $130 Spread $175
Other EssentialsWashing Powder $850 Panadol $200 Clothing $800 Medical $1000 School equipment $700 Educational books $180
For further inforamtion please contact Grace Magnaye at Media Prima on +971-4-3452020
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