By Sharadha de Saram | Founder Trustee-The Sunshine Charity
We are proud to announce that 2018 has a record high of children attending. We say thank you to everyone who has supported our work to allow us to take care of vulnerable children living in the eastern province of Sri Lanka.From creative opportunities to art programmes, from education to learning material, from health care to providing pharmaceutical drugs, from nutritional workshops for mothers to teacher training programmes, the Sunshine Charity has been engaged on the ground and in the field for over fifteen years providing currently fifty vulnerable children opportunities they could never have otherwise received.
Established in December 2004 as a civil society initiative registered by a Trust Deed, the trustees conduct an impact assessment survey bi-annually. This year, we met with mothers at the day care centre and at their homes to find out what impact our programmes have had on their lives and in particular, their children. We give you some of their stories from that survey.
Six-year old Rasika lives with her parents and younger sister in the remote village of Ileipukulam. She spent her early childhood at the Sunshine Day Care. Curious to know what benefitted Rasika most while she was at day care, Devi, her mother explained, “My daughter has a slight speech disability. I heard from the community that it would be best to send her to day care. Having inquired which of the three-day care centres in the area were best, they advised me to send her to The Sunshine Day Care Centre. Though it was the furthest from our home, I am so glad I did. Rasika integrated so well that she does not feel marginalized anymore,” is how Devi told her story.
What benefits Ranji and Jeeva, parents of three-year old Banu is that transport is provided. “This is a great help. We know our child is in safe hands once picked up as one of the members of staff or a mother accompanies the children both ways,” said Banu’s father, Jeeva. “We also appreciate the educational material used and the teaching methods adopted. They are almost on par with any city day care centre,” said Banui’s mother Ranji proudly.
For the parents of three-year old Shani, providing pharmaceutical drugs is the most important programme. “Of course, creative opportunities, reading and writing and play activities provided are all important but the vitamin, iron and the worming treatment is something we could not have afforded. The local hospital gives advise but asks us to go buy our paediatric medicines. The nutritional workshops conducted for mothers by the Sunshine Charity and supported by the Medical Officer of Health in the District, has helped us to understand the importance of our child’s health and nutritional needs so for me as a mother, the pharmaceutical drug and health care programme is one of the most beneficial programmes for our children,” was mother Sujatha’s story.
Interesting questions were raised by the mothers we met and the children we spoke to. The discussions we had with them created these inspirational stories. Their stories have inspired us to continue our work taking care of the needs of fifty vulnerable children living in remote villages of the eastern province of Sri Lanka.
Note: For security purposes the names of the children and their parents have been changed.
By Sharadha de Saram | Founder Trustee-The Sunshine Charity
By Sharadha de Saram | Founder Trustee-The Sunshine Charity
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