Family 4 (2017/18)

The fourth family that was supported was from the Welipitiya DSD in Matara and comprises of 3 children aged 16, 13, and 8 (2 boys and 1 girl). The eldest boy displayed some anti-social behaviour while the second child had a great inclination towards ordaining as a Buddhist monk. The girl however is good in her studies. Their 50-year-old father has abandoned them and has got married to another woman and was in remand with charges of multiple marriages. He has been released on bail but is currently absconding. Their mother (36 years) is under treatment for a benign throat cancer and is generally of fragile health, yet was looking after the children with great difficulty, with the meagre income she received as a daily wage labourer. The family was living in a small, planked house situated on top of a raised ground, with bare minimum facilities and safety for the children. The rough and uneven floor on which they slept that was painful for the body forced them to sleep in their grandmother’s house nearby especially when the mother fell sick.

A new house was built for the family with the assistance of approximately 20 individual donors, which was handed over to the family in January 2019. The mother was provided livelihood support to produce coir as a cottage industry, as well as some assistance towards her medical expenses.

As of 2022, there is remarkable improvement in the health and wellbeing of the mother whose cancer is almost gone, as well as in her ability to sustain her family. The eldest boy, who detached himself from the gangsters he was associating with, is presently working at an aluminium workshop. The second child who wanted to become a monk has abandoned the idea as now he is in a more stable family environment and a safe, comfortable house, and is showing progress in his studies as well. He is currently preparing to sit for his Ordinary Level examination.

The youngest girl child who is now in Grade 7 continues to top her class and is studying in the English medium. In fact, she has obtained 97/100 for English this time, which is very impressive for a child who comes from this particular socio-economic background. She certainly has a promising future and will change the destiny of her family, especially if the right guidance and exposure is provided. Studying in the English medium is challenging especially for subjects such as Science and Maths, for which extra tuition is required for most children. However, the parents are unable to afford tuition, which costs about Rs. 7,000 (USD 21) per month. Given her excellent performance, the school has refused the parents’ request for her to be allowed to study in the Sinhala medium (local language). This child is struggling due to this situation and is at risk of dropping out of school at some point if timely assistance is not provided. Therefore, we are currently in the process of raising funds to provide her with educational assistance. If you are interested in contributing, please contact me at dropsoflight6666@gmail.com.