Tale of woe of a mother and daughter

3 February 2016 12:00 am Views - 1789

 

If you are a frequent passer-by near the Kelaniya station road, you should be familiar with the sight of a temporary shelter which is occupied by a family comprising of a mother and daughter directly opposite the railway station.  The personnel at the railway station were kind enough to direct us to the temporary shelter which seemed nothing more than a mere shack.  

When the Daily Mirror approached the polythene covered shack, the first thing which met our eyes was a small wooden table which appeared to be a makeshift counter-top. Soot covered bricks were lying nearby. On the wobbly table were a couple of onions, and other cooking essentials in small quantities. 

Regardless of the fact that we had just walked in while M.P Misihami was about to feed her ailing daughter, she welcomed us with a warm smile. “This is my daughter Kamala Pushpakumari, she was diagnosed with a rare form of Arthritis at the age of 3, and doctors said that she is suffering from a heart condition as well. She is able to walk now, thanks to the medication - she was wheelchair bound for 7 years.” 

When the Dailymirror inquired as to why they were in such an impoverished situation, M.P Misihami replied, “I lost my husband when my daughter was a year old. A kind hearted gentleman had provided us with a house, but after he passed away the house was demolished and we were told that it was an illegal construction. We have been living in this shack ever since. We sleep on the railway platform every night because there is no room for  both of us to sleep inside the shack and also because it is not safe. This shack and the railway platforms have been our only shelter for the past year.”  Looking somewhat composed, standing in front of the dilapidated structure and pointing at a dog nearby, M.P Misihami said “She is our guardian. She takes good care of my daughter in my absence. I feed her what I can afford. There are many kind hearted strangers who have helped us out with whatever and however they can, and we are so grateful.” She said that their survival depends on what they receive out of benevolence.