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'Tis the season to be giving
By Marisa de Silva and Esther Williams
The trappings of Christmas are all around us. Tinsel and toys, Santas and sales, Christmas music on the radio.

But this isn't what Christmas is really about. The real message of Christmas, symbolized by the Christ child born in a humble manger in Bethlehem is about peace and goodwill to all mankind, of sharing and caring, of love and compassion to everyone.

If you're inclined this Christmas to celebrate the true spirit of Christmas, here's a way to share your blessings. Here are some institutions where help is needed:

Sent here from the courts or the Child Probation Care Unit, these children have experienced some form of trauma, either psychological or physical. The Maithri Children's Home, Borella donated to the All Ceylon Buddhist Congress in 1955, provides shelter for children aged between 6-12.

President of the home's administrative board, Mr. Dilantha Mahindapala says that the girls are admitted to schools and are encouraged to attend Sunday school. In addition, they are given extra tuition at the home to help the weaker students cope.

Most of these children who have been victims of rape are sent here by the courts for protection. Most often the perpetrators are released on bail and allowed to roam free while their victims live in fear.

The Maithri Home needs: Uniforms, shoes, milk powder, soap, toothpaste, dry rations, washing powder

Maithri Children's Home, Borella
Contact: Mr. Dilantha Mahindapala
Phone: 671894

The Swarna Dama Foundation is a home in Nattandiya that houses over 70 mentally and physically handicapped persons. Some are severely handicapped, others are manageable, says Mr. Sriyaratna Munasingha, Director of the home. Some 26 inmates cannot control their physical functions.

They need lots of supervision and attention but they have just eight caregivers. Ideally they should have around one for eight inmates.

Some of these children had been subjected to inhumane treatment; they had been chained, made to live in a 2'x4' cage and to eat scraps off the floor, as they were considered to bring bad luck to the rest of the family. They may never be able to live a normal life again.

Needs: Medicines, milk powder, sugar, disinfectants, toothpaste, tooth brushes, blankets, pillows, towels.

Swarna Dama Foundation
Mr. Sriyaratna Munasingha
Phone: (032) 51222
The Lawri's Children's Home looks after orphaned and abandoned children between the ages of 5 and 18. The home has 40 such girls who attend schools in the vicinity. Promising students are encouraged to do higher studies while others pursue dress making, cookery, flower making, etc. Many girls from the home are now employed as clerks, typists, teachers and some are married.
Needs: Dry rations, milk powder, soap

Lawri's Children's Home, Maradana
Mrs. Gnana Dias, Secretary/Manageress
Phone: 670699
The Paynter Home in Nuwara Eliya initially housed children and mothers left destitute by the First World War. However, as some of the mothers deserted their children, the home eventually became a sanctuary for needy Eurasian children. Over the years, the Paynter Home has become a shelter for local children of all races and religions. It presently houses 31 children, both boys and girls, and the main intent of the home is to give these children a sound education and help them become independent.

Needs: Exercise books, red pens, school books, compass boxes, Sinhala and Tamil books for the library.

The Paynter Home, Nuwara-Eliya
Mr. Ravi Thangaraj
Tel: (052) 22289

SEEDO has been working for women, widows, children and the handicapped in and around Addalaichenai and Alamkulam in the Batticaloa District. Women are trained in poultry, rice powdering and other cottage industries as part of their self-employment schemes. In addition they run a pre-school and organise coaching classes for dropout children.

SEEDO organises nutrition and awareness programmes and is involved in various other developmental activities. SEEDO also assists the displaced community from Mannar, Mullaitivu and Eravur, now still living in Hussainiyanagar, a resettlement village.

A recent initiative is the library for women, the only one in the Eastern area to enable women's awareness in current issues. The library will be open to youth and children as well.

Needs: Books on environment, cottage industries, women's issues, leadership, human rights, teacher training, computer books and Tamil and English books for O/L and GCE A/L.

Socio-Economic and Environmental Developmental Organisation (SEEDO), Addalaichenai 2

Mr. Mohammed Uvais, Secretary
Phone: 067 78184
The only one of its kind to cater to the deaf and dumb children, orphans or those from poor families in the Ampara-Batticaloa region, the Life Voice School has 53 children in grades 1-5 (Tamil Medium), who are taught sign language and lip reading, based on the curriculum followed in normal government schools. Eventually the students would be able to read, write and secure jobs, Mr. D. D. David, General Secretary of the YMCA says. In addition they are taught various crafts like flower making and screen-printing. Teachers trained in speech therapy give oral training that has resulted in improved speech.

At present the hostel accommodates 30 students from distant places. The organisation would like to expand its facilities for the many more deaf children of their villages.

Needs: School stationery items, clothing and blankets.
Life Voice School for Deaf Children, Batticaloa
Mr. D. D. David, General Secretary, YMCA
Phone: 065 22495
Founded in 1965, Attanagalla Children's and Elders' Home, Nittambuwa, has 20 boys between the ages of 7-14 and 38 elders. They too get children from the courts and child probation authorities. All the children are sent to school and lead as normal a life as possible.

Needs: Milk powder, clothes for children and elders, books for library
Attanagalla Children's and Elders' Home, Nittambuwa
Ms. Iris Sahabandu
Tel. (033) 80329
The Lewella Home for Mentally Handicapped Boys, Kandy is home to 25 boys from 5 to 17. Those over 17 are trained in some sort of vocational skill like pottery, brick making, weaving mats and wool work, so that they can help their families when they return home.

Needs: Milk powder, biscuits, rice, accessories required for vocational training.

Lewella Home for Mentally Handicapped Boys, Kandy
Mrs. Swarna Rajapakse
Tel. (08) 240786
Preethipura presently houses 80 mentally and physically handicapped persons between the ages of 14 and 65. They have a staff of 20 who do their best to see to the needs of all the inmates. As most of Preethipura's inmates don't have families or have families who don't want to accept them, they are permanent occupants of the home.

Needs: Dry rations, disinfectant, washing powder or soap, Vim, tea, clothes, a TV set, milk powder, sugar.

Preethipura Home (Ceylon Fellowship of Service), Hendala
Mrs. N.S. de Silva
Tel. (01) 930447
Karuna Nilayam in Killinochi was started in 1954 by an English Missionary Muriel Hutchins as a home for orphans, widows and mentally retarded children. It has residential and study facilities. Owing to the ethnic conflict, the entire accommodation was destroyed and since 1996 their buildings have been open to the sky. The residents were then shifted to Jayapuram, a village 40 km away, as a stopgap arrangement. Currently, repairs are under way to get part of the living quarters habitable so that the inmates could be moved back during the New Year.

Needs: Children's clothing, study materials
Karuna Nilayam Home, Killinochi
Mr. S. P. Nesakumar, Chairperson
Phone: 021-2222270/021-2222394
Comprising of orphans and other children from broken homes or single parent homes, the children in Ramakrishna Mission Orphanage enjoy educational and health facilities and a place they can call home. They are supported mainly by devotees of the Ramakrishna Mission, well-wishers and old boys. In the three homes situated in Ampara and Batticaloa, the children are given good care and are brought up with sound values. It is their hope that in time the children will grow up with self-confidence and be self-reliant. The Mission also works with victims of famine, flood, cyclone and epidemics.

Needs: Bedding, ground sheets, towels, clothing and foot wear.
Ramakrishna Mission Orphanages, Batticaloa
Contact person: Swami Jivanananda
Phone: 065 22752

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