Health Support for Sri Lanka’s Most Vulnerable Children

Health support for Sri Lanka’s vulnerable children

Health Support for Sri Lanka’s most vulnerable children

Latest News on Project: This program has reached its conclusion as the orphanage came under new administration in 2016. In mid-2016, the new commissioner withdrew cooperation with Volunteer Sri Lanka (our program partner). Despite our best efforts to offer further assistance – with our objective of eventually reuniting the children with their families – at the moment we are unable to proceed with the program. RoundTrip will continue to monitor the situation and are ready to offer assistance again if circumstances change. We would like to thank our program partners in Sri Lanka for their tireless work for the benefit of the orphans. RoundTrip was proud to play a role in this program which improved the lives of some very disadvantaged children over a number of years.

Very few orphanages in Sri Lanka accept children under 5-years-old, yet they are the most vulnerable people in the community. Health issues are a constant problem at orphanages, as staff are often not trained in basic hygiene and medical practices. And facilities are often extremely dilapidated with a lack of maintenance and basic living standards.

Roundtrip’s support of a very poor orphanage in southern Sri Lanka began by providing food supplements to the diets of the children. This helped ensure that about 70 children (many just babies) got enough to eat every day. In 2015 RoundTrip, together with our local contacts, completed an ambitious rebuilding and maintenance program at the orphanage. It included tasks such as rewiring, painting, fixing windows and doors, and the renewal of the toilet block. Most of the work was focused on the toddler’s dormitory. We have also arranged for a doctor to visit the orphans twice weekly.