23 November 2023 12:00 am Views - 404
Children who have lost parental care are brought to SOS Children’s Village to be raised by a nonbiological parent
The organization was registered in Sri Lanka in 1981 under an agreement with the Ministry of Social Services. We have been active in Sri Lanka for 42 years maintaining 6 Children’s Villages which have more than 39 subsidiary developments which include a school, vocational training centers and youth facilities
- Divakar Ratnadurai National Director, The SOS Children’s Village
The culture here celebrates the title of mother in ways one can’t even comprehend at times. Of course, being a mom is no easy job - even for one child, let alone a few. But taking care of them, was what I did passionately. I did all that with love
- Ms. Hema Abeykoon, A mother who was employed by SOS Children’s Village
“I had lost the love, affection and care of Papa, when I just turned 20 years old. I had 4 sisters. By the time I was done with getting them settled down, I strongly felt like my time had elapsed. This was when I came across an advert on the newspaper, which eventually led me to choose a way that would forever change my life,” said Ms. Hema Abeykoon, a mother who used to work for SOS Children’s Village.
She recalled her experience and extreme contentment in working in a household by saying “The culture here celebrates the title of mother in ways one can’t even comprehend at times. Of course, being a mom is no easy job - even for one child, let alone a few. But taking care of them, was what I did passionately. I did all that with love”. She went on to encourage new mothers to visit this institute as it provides a secure and safe environment. Even though she retired at the age of 57 the SOS Children’s Village still takes care of her needs and the children she raised visit her occasionally in the retirement home provided by the village itself. “After retirement, SOS Children’s Village Sri Lanka, a place I have to call my own, even provides us with a pension. That’s not all security is not something we have to worry about; financial or otherwise. We have all the facilities within the village premises itself for retired mothers,” explained Hema.
SOS Children’s Village Sri Lanka counts 42 years of experience in providing alternative care based on a Family Care Model. In simple words “Family Care” applies when a child who has lost parental care is brought to SOS Children’s Village to be raised by a nonbiological parent along with 8 – 10 children in a house. Children are provided with a home, a mother- who loves them- and siblings along with quality education and nutrition. As a result, when the SOS Children’s Village appoints a mother to a household, the appointment requires certain qualifications and skills. The SOS Children’s Village itself provides a 2-year practical and classroom training, an initial 3-month in-service training and an NVQ level 3 Child Care training to assess the candidates’ capabilities of supervising a home. The successful candidates receive a 21-month contract and are entitled to EPF benefits along with the opportunity of running a home in the SOS Children’s Village; either as a mother or an aunt.
The SOS Children’s Village Sri Lanka is an associate organization that provides family-like care for children who are at a loss of parental care. Subsequently, they also provide Family Strengthening Programmes enabling long-term support towards children who are at the risk of losing parental care.
Throughout its 42-year journey, SOS Children’s Village Sri Lanka has contributed immensely to the Sri Lankan community with over 50,000 individuals who have been positively impacted through a range of social programs. There are six SOS Children’s Village in Sri Lanka located in Piliyandala, Nuwara Eliya, Galle, Anuradhapura, Monaragala and Jaffna.
A discussion took place in the SOS Children’s Village Piliyandala on November 13 among the Head of Fund Development and Communications Director Gayantha Dalpadado, Deputy National Director Kirthi Hettiarachchi, National Director Divakar Ratnadurai, Probation Commissioner of the Department of Probation Child Care Services Namal Liyanage and Director of Programmes Dhananjaya Perera to discuss the 42-year journey of the SOS Children’s Village and raise awareness of the current situation at the SOS Children’s Village.
The SOS Children’s Village National Director, Divakar Ratnadurai stated, “The organization was registered in Sri Lanka in 1981 under an agreement with the Ministry of Social Services. We have been active in Sri Lanka for 42 years with 6 Children’s Villages situated in Piliyandala, Nuwara Eliya, Galle, Anuradhapura, Monaragala and Jaffna with more than 39 subsidiary developments which include a school, vocational training centers and youth facilities”.
Families are more vulnerable to seeing disruption at home now than ever before due to adverse circumstances like poverty and conflict. As a result, both the Children’s Villages and Family Strengthening Program are currently taking care of over 4000 children. The Villages are solely maintained on funds received. For the past 42 years, SOS Children’s Village Sri Lanka has been receiving funds from international individual donors and philanthropists; mostly living in Europe. However, the ongoing critical global economic crisis has limited the funding received by SOS Children’s Village, Sri Lanka. Hence, the Villages are compelled to raise funds locally in order to care for these children. Hence the SOS Children’s Village Sri Lanka is initiating appropriate engagements to overcome this shortfall in funds by establishing a network of partnerships with local individuals, philanthropists and corporations without disturbing the quality of work and support shared towards the vulnerable children of Sri Lanka.
Individuals who are interested in donating funds or wish to seek more information regarding this organization can do so by calling 0117727777 which is the SOS Children’s Village hotline.