Five kids stop schooling due to poverty

The family has been left to fend for themselves in extreme poverty

In Yatawatta, Matale, a tragic story of a family of five children has emerged, struggling to survive on just one meal a day and unable to continue their studies. 73-year-old W. G. Premawathi has taken on the responsibility of caring for her two daughters’ children, who have been left destitute with no fathers to care for them.  

Despite numerous pleas for help from local leaders and government officials, the family has been left to fend for themselves in extreme poverty. Premawathi’s daughters leave home early each day, searching for daily-wage jobs to put food on the table.  

When a reporter visited their home, they found the family cooking jackfruit to feed the five hungry children. The eldest child, a 15-year-old, expressed their dream of attending school, but the harsh reality is that they cannot afford it without an income.  

The 14-year-old boy, meanwhile, has been training to do odd jobs with hopes of earning some money. On the day of the visit, he was plucking avocados with a group of boys in the nearby field, hoping to sell them.  
The family’s living conditions are dire, with their house flooding during heavy rains. The community has shunned them due to their poverty and helplessness, leaving them with no support.  

As the children continue to suffer in silence, their plight serves as a reminder of the harsh realities faced by those living in poverty, and the urgent need for action to help those in need.