Transforming the care of children in Sri Lanka

Dear friends and supporters,

The current economic crisis in Sri Lanka is affecting every aspect of the lives of the entire population, with escalating inflation, and food, medicines, fuel, gas and electricity shortages. Orphanages in particular are becoming as helpless as the children inside.

We've been increasingly worried about  the 65 babies and children under five years old at Ruhunu Orphanage, as they ran out medication months ago and many babies were sick with high fevers.

We are in the process of shipping donations of medical supplies and medicines, but the process is complicated and slow. Thanks to one of our wonderful visiting supporters who packed a bag full of medication in her luggage, Mr Percy our Country Director was able to deliver bottles of Calpol and paracetamol for the children.

He now travels the five miles there in the heat on his bike, as the country has completely run out of fuel.

Matron said she was extremely grateful to our 20 trained and dedicated TFT housemothers who continue to work so hard every day to keep the children happy and fed, as government orphanage housemothers have been unable to travel to work due to lack of fuel and public transport.

She said the under 5's enjoy attending TFT - Ruhunu preschool every day, which we opened just prior to the Covid19 pandemic, and gives the children vital stimulation and routine. 

The situation in Sri Lanka is unimaginable and dire, and poor families are struggling to feed their children and having to choose who will be fed each day. New mothers are unable to find milk powder, and if they do, it's too expensive to buy.

As consequence, numbers of children in the orphanage has now increased by 19% in the past year, where numbers had previously fallen by 45% over three years due to our alternative family care training programme 

Keeping families healthy and fed at this time is our priority, and we really appreciate your help to keep children in families, not orphanages at this critical time.

Never has our service been so needed or vital, and we thank you for your continued support.

Kind regards,

Joel

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Dear friends and supporters

The Covid-19 pandemic has brought huge challenges to the whole world, but the situation for little children who are cooped up every day in overcrowded orphanages, barely surviving without basic love and care remains deeply concerning.

We are so thankful that our HEARTS childcare training programme was completed for 20 TFT Housemothers at the end of 2019, as it has given us some reassurance that the 52 children are receiving the best possible care in the worst situation.

With the deepening economic crisis in Sri Lanka and inflation at 16%, there are half a million more people living in acute poverty without financial assistance, and many more children are at risk of abandonment. We are aware of families who are now choosing between one meal a day for their children or potentially life-saving medication.

Incredible and heartwarming results are being achieved to keep families together by growing viable and sustainable businesses through the TFT livelihood programme. Single mother Mahani's parents died a few years ago. She was alone, and unable to go to work without child support for her 7 year old daughter. They were struggling to survive on 1300 Rs pm (£4.81).

Thanks to TFT supporters like you, we’ve been able to provide medication and emergency food parcels to keep families healthy and fed.

To support families we've set up micro-farms, provided sewing machines and resources alongside livelihood training to single mothers like Mahani, who can now work from home and take care of their children. 

Please be assured that with your continued support in 2022, we will be working harder than ever to keep children at home in families, and not orphanages.

Kind regards,
Joel