A Place For Street Kids
Just this morning I was reading about American families that end up on the streets. It’s not easy for anybody. In Colombo, there’s a little house in Borella that supports more than 60 children who have nowhere else to go. Just yesterday I was reading about a similar kid from Ethiopia who was adopted to Sweden and ended up being a famous chef. Goes to show that anybody can become anything, given opportunities. So, to that end, some of my friends are organizing a shramadana to support the Sarvodaya Suwasetha Day Shelter in Borella. Pass it around, and try to help.
Sarvodaya is called an NGO, but it’s not really. It’s a social movement, organized around the idea of shramadana. Shramadana is essentially the idea of helping yourself, and each other. In the early days I think Dr. Ari started in a village that had a problem that they were complaining about, a bad road or bund or something. He got them to work together, some people doing work, some people providing food, and eventually the problem was sorted, without some higher power having to sort it out. It’s a bit of a stone soup sort of scene.
In this case, some young people are organizing both cash and work to spruce up the children’s home. This is a space for street kids to get support and education during the day and it could do with a paint job, among other things. I’ll move their pitch to the lede:
To get any of this done, we need your help. In the table below we have provided the approximate costs of everything we hope to do. By donating money or sponsoring items you can help us tick off everything on our list. You are welcome to join our Shramadhanaya on the 22nd of July. We will also be collecting used toys/clothes/books for boys and girls ranging from 2- 18 years. For details call Renu (0776067042) or Nanda (0777595085).
And here is what people can donate cash wise, and for what:
| Activity | Cost | Quantity |
|---|---|---|
| Painting (building, playground, furniture) | 65,000/= | 70 liters of paint |
| Roof Repair | 50,000/= | |
| Outdoor work (fence repair and gardening) | 25,000/= | |
| Tables and Benches | 20,000/= | 5 (4000/= x 5) |
| Mattresses | 35,000/= | 10 (3500/= x 10) |
| Swing Set | 15,000/= | 1 |
| Table Fan | 5000/= | 1 |
| Shelving Units | 10,000/= | 10 (1000/= x 10) |
| TOTAL | 225,000/= |
I also think it’s worthwhile to participate in Shramadana in kind, especially for children from more privileged backgrounds. The day of work itself is the 22nd of July and people can also donate books, toys, clothing or anything that might be of use or joy to children.
I’ve copied the full contents of the PDF (From House To Home) below. I do hope you can contribute, it’s a worthy cause, and – in Borella – close to home.
From House to Home…
Driving down to the end of Cotta Road, Borella, you may notice a little house on your left. With a rusty playground set in the garden and green paint peeling off the walls the place is not much to look at, but to the children who come here every day, this little compound is home. Inside the main building there is a semblance of a preschool. The room is filled with little desks and chairs, once pink and blue, but now a shade of brown. The shelves in the room are bare, except for a farm set, and a few other playthings. At the back is a classroom for the older children, equipped only with two round tables and a few faded pictures on the wall.
But what it lacks in material possessions it makes up for in care and service. Since 1987 the Sarvodaya Suwasetha Day Shelter for Children on the Streets has been a safe haven for hundreds of children who have no place else to call home. Today more than 60 children eat, sleep, learn and play in this compound that functions as a pre-school, a daycare center, a non formal education center and vocational training center. Feeding, clothing, and schooling this number of children is an expensive affair, and the shelter does the best it can with the funding it receives.
What we want to do…
We want to give this home a makeover. With a little bit of paint and a touch of creativity we can help create the kind of environment where these children can forget their grown up problems and just be children. Our makeover involves several different elements. We have listed the activities in order of need and priority, and while we would like to do all of this, what we can do will depend on how much money we can raise.
How you can help…
To get any of this done, we need your help. In the table below we have provided the approximate costs of everything we hope to do. By donating money or sponsoring items you can help us tick off everything on our list. You are welcome to join our Shramadhanaya on the 22nd of July. We will also be collecting used toys/clothes/books for boys and girls ranging from 2- 18 years. For details call Renu (0776067042) or Nanda (0777595085).
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