Prithipura Home fundraiser at Good Market
Astaggering 20 percent of all children in Sri Lanka have some form of mental or physical disability. Despite disability being an ever-increasing problem in the country, it is often regarded as an unapproachable subject. The differently-abled are subject to myths and negative stereotyping that result in parents keeping their child hidden from the world without seeking the proper intervention. This results in children retreating into themselves and becoming even more socially unskilled.
The Ceylon Fellowship of Service Prithipura Home strives to provide love and support in a home environment for differently abled men, women and children.
The Home, which was started in 1962, is run by volunteers and a paid workforce, including a matron, her assistants and an administrative staff who look after the residents, many of whom have been abandoned by their families due to lack of economic and emotional resources.
Today there are 62 residents needing specialised care on a daily basis. The COVID pandemic has severely affected the flow of donations in cash and kind. The ever increasing costs of basic goods has added to the burden on funds needed to run the Home.
The funds come from a small grant from the Department of Social Welfare and generous individual donors who have been very supportive over the years. However, every year it becomes more and more difficult to meet the expenses for
running the home - food, clothing, medicine, therapy, vehicles, premises and staff.
In order to raise some much needed funds, the Home will have a stall at the Good Market on Saturday, April 9, in time for the Sinhala and Tamil New Year. You can purchase colourful shopping bags, totes and purses as well as cloth household items such as dusters, pot holders and hand towels. The items are made by the residents of the Home supervised by their arts and crafts teacher.