JAPAN EXTENDS RS.14 MN GRANT TO SARVODAYA
The Government of Japan has provided US$ 111,113 (approximately Rs. 14 million) grant aid for ‘The Project for Upgrading a Girl’s Home in Kurunegala District’ under its Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects (GGP). “The Project for Upgrading a Girl’s Home in Kurunegala District” will help to renovate the two-storey building in the Wariyapola girl’s home, Kurunegala, the construction of a new building for pre-school and vocational training centre with necessary equipment in order to improve the security, health and educational environment at Wariyapola Girl’s home run by the Sarvodaya Suwasetha Sewa Society with full support from the Sugiura Bramcharia Foundation.
The Wariyapola Girl’s home at present helps 43 girls to become healthy both physically and psychologically and to be integrated into society with more confidence and independence. The Centre also pro- vides services to young girls in the vicinity to develop their vocational skills such as flowermaking and sewing. In addition, the centre provides kindergarten/ pre-school facilities to neighbourhood children from low income families to acquire quality education in a safer and childrenfriendly environment.
Lanka Jathika Sarvodaya Shramadana Sangamaya founder President Dr. A.T. Ariyaratne and General Secretary Mrs. Neetha Ariyaratne said that “the Wariyapola vocational training centre serves young girls from the village and the pre-school serves children from the community. The proposed
The centre provides kindergarten/ pre-school facilities to neighbourhood children from low income families
new building that will be constructed through Japan’s Grant Assistance will serve both the young girls at the Vocational Training Centre and Pre-School children with better facilities. This is the only facility for girls in the North Western Region of Sri Lanka where so many mothers have left to the Middle East for employment leaving their children as a vulnerable group. This centre comes under the supervision of the Probation and Child Care Services Department of the North Central Province”.