Inspired by the people they work with to continue their journey with Sunshine
View(s):
A group of children who travelled to Colombo on the Sunshine Bus, to celebrate Christmas Magic hosted by The Hilton Hotel, Colombo
It is a typical Tuesday afternoon for Vijayalakshmi who works as a cook and cleaner at a Hindu Temple in the remote village of Periyakulam in the Trincomalee District. Her five-year-old twins have just returned from the Sunshine Day Care Centre, a 20-minute ride from Periyakulam. Jerusa and Jerusali have been at the Sunshine Day Care Centre since January 2015 and enjoy the warm meal provided there. “The last two years and three months have been a wonderful experience for my two children who will transfer to a local primary school end of this year. They will miss their tasty lunch-time meal,” Vijayalakshmi said.
The Sunshine Charity raises funds to provide children like Jersua and Jerusali one wholesome nutritious meal and a glass of milk something Vijayalakshmi will have to now provide. “The plan is to find a second job once the children attend primary school,” she said.
It has been just over 12 years since The Sunshine Charity was founded in the aftermath of the December 2004 tsunami. The organisation’s main aim then was to take care of children affected by the devastation through the establishment of a day care centre in Sambalthivu, Trincomalee District. Today, the children attending the Sunshine Day Care Centre include orphaned and vulnerable children and those affected by poverty.
Explaining the background to the work, one of the trustees said, “The Sunshine Charity’s response has been consistent from the time of our founding. With generous but limited funding, we were soon able to purchase a block of land and build a day care facility which could accommodate at least 30 children. Twelve years after, and a second day care building constructed on the same premises, we are able to accommodate more children. A long journey for a small civil society organisation but one that has reached credibility among the public in Sri Lanka for its commitment to taking care of vulnerable children between the ages two to six years.”
“We are truly grateful and appreciate the generosity of many philanthropists both local and international, individuals and organisations whose help and support over these years enabled us to continue our work,” said Roshan Peries, one of the organisation’s trustees.
Sharing stories from the field with the donor, updating them with field reports, showing the donor how their monies were utilised have encouraged not only further funding but also inspired donor participation. This means a lot to the trustees who welcome the broader impact of the giving. “The trickle-down effect is amazing. Being in touch with our donors has been one of our priorities. We have seen how those who did not think of vulnerable communities have become part of our work,” said Kamini Mukunthan, a trustee of The Sunshine Charity.
In 2009, a small grant provided by The Global Fund for Children (GFC), Washington enabled the organization to conduct its first modest health and wellbeing workshop for the children at the Sunshine Day Care Centre. The workshop included a general medical check-up including examinations of ear, nose and throat and referring necessary follow-up treatment to the Trincomalee Hospital. A discussion with mothers by a nutrition specialist was also held.
Vijayalakshmi with her two kids Jerusa and Jerusali at their home in Periyakulam
More programmes on health, wellbeing and nutrition followed with funding initially provided by the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC)and later by The Sri Lanka Medical Association of North America (SLMANA) and Global Giving, another Washington based grant-making organisation.
“The Sunshine Charity selected the village of Sambalthivu in the Eastern Province of Sri Lanka because of the impoverished status of people living here and in the surrounding areas. Although we found that the communities we serve were not impacted by absolute poverty, the protracted civil war, followed by the tsunami devastation, their meagre income, social structure, and lack of understanding of basic health needs hinders a moderate quality of life.
“Lack of proper housing, clean drinking water, the absence of affordable medical and health care, nutritional food and the absence of proper child care facilities have resulted in a cycle of poverty difficult for communities to overcome. It is always the children who get affected the most and it’s here that our project has become increasingly important and helpful to the community,” said Sharadha de Saram, one of the founder trustees of The Sunshine Charity.
“By creating a permanent space for children and providing creative opportunities, educational tools, reading material, an engaging staff, recreation facilities, medical check-ups and one wholesome and nutritious meal, the project has helped improve the situation for the children of this district, as well as for their families,” she added.
The medical programme includes the provision of vitamin and iron tablets, worming treatment as well as shoes to prevent worm infection. Doctors have time at such health camps to explain to the mothers their children’s health and nutritional needs.
In the village of Periyakulam Selvi is unable to afford essentials, like fish or eggs with the income her husband brings in as a day labourer. The cycle of poverty in the village has not given her children a fair chance of life. The Sunshine Charity in a small way tries hard to help. “Our efforts over the last twelve years have widened the opportunities of vulnerable children living in remote villages of Trincomalee, providing them with creative opportunities and learning tools, play area, reading material, one nutritious meal supported by health & wellbeing checks, to those attending the day care centre has helped the poverty levels of families like Selvis’s,” a trustee said.
Selvi’s five-year old daughter, Yadurshika attends the day care but will leave end of this year. Selvi’s son Yadurshan who spent two years at day care – from 2008 to 2010 remembers his trip to Colombo. “It was my first to the capital city and I recall every detail of it,” he says beaming.
Yadurshan was among the thirty-five children who travelled to Colombo on the Sunshine Bus, to celebrate Christmas Magic hosted by The Hilton Hotel, Colombo. This was a magical experience for both the children, the Hilton staff and the trustees of the Sunshine Charity.
“We hear their stories at the day care centre as well as when we visit them at their homes. Their stories have inspired us to continue our work in a meaningful and sustainable way. It is because the communities we serve are so receptive to change that we have been inspired to continue with our work,” a trustee said.