OTHER PROJECTS

The Blue Lotus Home

 

 

There is a great need for a rehabilitation home for children & youngsters where we will also be able to work with the village youth from our region.

Through our work with the NCPA (National Child Protection Authority) during the past few years it became clear to us that there is a great need for such a centre. What is the idea?

There are a number of children who need to rehabilitate after physical and psychical abuse, sometimes in combination with trauma work.

There are a number of children who need care for a certain period after medical treatment or even before they can have medical treatment (because of malnutrition).

Many youngsters who are living in orphanages are only allowed to stay there untill they are 18 years old, some only untill they are 16. They are kept there without being prepared for a future outside of the home. They have practically no social skills, they have not finished their education (so they will not be able to work as professionals), and often they end up in criminality and/or prostitution. In the best cases they have to become day labourers and work as unskilled workers for the lowest payment.

 

The suicide percentage of children and youth in Sri Lanka is among the highest in the world. The suicide percentage among these particular youngsters is the highest in the country.  We know that we can’t safe them all, but we would like to try and give some of them a future and take care that they become well educated and independent people who are valuable for the society. That way they will be an example to show that with proper care and education those children will not be lost and we hope that others will follow and start projects on the same basis. Therefore we propose this project to you.

This picture was taken in Tellwatte in 2006

We hope to start the Blue Lotus Home and run there the following project as soon as we have enough fundings:

There should be a place for about 8-10 permanent inmates in the age group up to maximum 23 years old (so they have finished their education), furthermore there should be the possibility to lodge 5-6 youngsters who need to stay for a limited time (trauma work and medical after care but also sometimes a period to get in to condition before a operation etc.). There should be the accommodation to run different programs for the children in our surrounding like for example the Photo Kids Program and others; we can get English, Chinese and Japanese language lessons, Buddhist monks and nuns are willing to do this on a long term basis for free. We only have to supply them with food and lodging. They are also able to go around to other villages to teach for free.

We hope to teach there social skills to the children, have a trauma healing program and work on a SUICIDE, DRUGS and HIV/AIDS prevention program.

I can and will give you here only one story about a case in short because we want to protect those children in need as much as possible, I hope you understand that!

One of the children who needs practically all of the above is a boy from here on called X. X is ten years old, when he was about 4 he was already begging on the streets for some time and his mother (if you can call her that) decided that if she would cut off one of his ears and keep the wound from healing he would be able to bring in more money.

About 2 years ago the NCPA took him from the streets and after a court case handed him over to a children home. So far so good you would say. The person in charge of the home is a kind young monk who tries to take good care of the children. The problem is that the boy X is traumatized and needs trauma work to heal, there is no possibility in that home as in many others because its state run and does not have funds or accommodation to do so. We are able to give the boy a new ear because a plastic surgeon who worked here for a period of 2 years was willing to do the operation for free, that was great! The problem is that the boy is quite badly mal nourished and has to gain weight before he can be operated. We asked the head of the home if we could arrange extra food to be given to X so he could undergo the operation? This was refused. Not out of cruelty, he had a valid reason: about 2/3 of the boys in the home where malnourished and he could not give one of them more food then the others. If we would have a place for him and others like him to stay for some time we could go to court and have him released to stay with us until he recovered from the operation. X has now only one big dream: He wants to have a pair of sunglasses which he can wear even with his one ear. Georg promised to find a pair for him.

 

 

 

Case nr.2; called XX

 

XX was a young man of 17, highly intelligent, studying hard with good results. Teachers and workers in the home where he stayed where all positive that if he could finish his education he would have a good if not great future. When his 18^th birthday came closer he asked a number of people to help him get a place where he could stay and to sponsor his study’s. He promised that after he finished his study he would pay them back and that during his study he would try to get some part time job also. He didn’t find people to help him.

The evening before his birthday he jumped in front of a train which was entering Galle Station.

Unfortunately this is one of many stories. If I would have known …. If we would have been able to get him a place …….  

If there are people who would be able and willing to help us to collect funds, or even donate something ….

 

If you want more details about this project please don’t hesitate to contact us.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The second project which needs funding is that for our living quarters to be finished so we can ordain more novices, and have a decent place to live.

If you want details please contact us.

 

If there is enough fundings there are many more projects we will put up informations about on the blog.