Educate 33 children with disabilities in Sri Lanka

2020 has been a difficult year world wide.   While Sri Lanka did relatively well with the virus this was because we went into a very strict lockdown.  All schools were closed from early March.  Following governemnt guidelines we opened only on the 10th of August.  The country is still functioning on a very careful level.  Since many of our parents are day workers or in such vulnerable employment they were in difficult times.  We were glad that with special permission etc.so our students parents could come to the center we helped many families with a small allowance.  When they came to collect their allowance they were also given work/activity sheets developed by the staff sso they could keep their children occupied maningfully during the lockdown days.  The staff also kept in touch with the parents via phone calls.  Now that schools have reopened we are back to work - our children are showing the results of months of inactivity but are all so very glad to come back to school.

23 year old Harin came to us about six years ago. At the time he was a socially withdrawn, mostly silent child who had to be virtually  dragged into the school by his parents.  He settled down very well we joke that he could run for a seat in the parliament since he has befriended his entire neighbourhood back home.  No one can go past his house without a chat with him.  We are glad to say that the family has followed our suggestion  and opened a little neighbourhood shop for him. The shop carries school supplies, groceries, cold drinks etc.  With cheerful, friendly, chatty Harin there I am sure it will prosper.  He is determined to continue his classes with us too leaving the shop in the care of his mom.  

I am attaching a short video of an interview I did because it gives a nice profile of our program. I hope that is ok.

https://we.tl/t-NfnqKiXQN8