How do we help

As a Foundation based in the Netherlands we have one important task

As a Foundation based in the Netherlands our most important task is to raise enough money each year to keep Somawathi Home running. What do we use the money for? What do we offer this wonderful children’s village? In the first place a safe home for our 104 orphaned and abandoned children with all the care that comes with it in order to help them stand on their own two feet and give them the perspective of a safe future. But we do a lot more, not exclusively for our own children. Children in the area are provided with medical and dental care. They can also come to our school. What by the end of 2004 started as bringing 24 boxes of medicine has become a durable aid project in Sri Lanka.

Living: a safe home

First of all Somawathi Home is the safe home for 104 orphaned and abandoned children. In small groups of 8 they live together with their care mother in a living pavilion. This pavilion is a completely furnished home. The care mother takes care of ‘her family’. She helps the children do their homework, teaches them to cook, clean the house, goes shopping with them and together they maintain their vegetable garden. Each of every 20 pavilions has its own private piece in their common vegetable garden where common vegetables and spices are grown.

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Education

Education is of special concern in the Somawathi Home. This has two main reasons:

  1. – Over 80% of resident children suffer from backwardness at school of one or more years because of their background.
  2. – Only 40% of children in Sri Lanka in regular education (Government School) have sufficient marks for their O-level (the level for further learning after they reach the age of 16).
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Pupils – Somawathi Montessori Preschool

Preschool Somawathi Home

“Together with 45 pre-school children and toddlers we attend our lessons at the Montessori School on the premises of Somawathi Home every day. We all got school uniforms, shoes and socks. In school we learn English songs, cutting and sticking en we dance. Each day we receive a meal before our mothers come to pick us up.”

Rumesh – bewoner van Somawathi Home

G.P.Rumesh

“I’m one of the first children who came to live here. I have lived in Somawathi Home for more than 10 years. Many lessons are taught here. Pottery, carpentry, dance, making music, e-learning and much more. I love gardening and maintaining my own little garden every day. Everything that I grow I sell to the cooks in the kitchen and all that money goes into my savings account for when I will be grown up.“

Vinodh – resident of Somawathi Home

vinodh

“I’m 12 years old now and have been living in the Somawathi Home for 7 years. As I want to become a managing director, I have to learn a lot. I’m at Dharmika College and attend extra lessons and computer skill lessons. Of all sports swimming is my favourite.”

Headmaster of Dharmika College

hoe-wij-helpen-quote-SCHOOLHOOFD

“My school has more than 600 pupils. Besides the regular education I value teamspirit and physical exercise very much. Every year our school organizes a big sportsevent in which all pupils participate. It’s very clear that the Somawathi Home children are in a really good condition, as they win a lot of awards.”

Management and staff

The Somawathi Education programme is attended by

  • 104 children living in the Somawathi Home
  • 100 pupils from the area

A team of 24 parttime teachers takes care of the lessons, syllabuses and purchase all tools needed in consultation with the management. The education specialist, who is employed by Somawathi Education, advises and supervises the children in accordance with the child-follow plan.

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Care and health

In 2007 Somawathi Home established its own medical centre. Medical and dental care is not exclusively offered to residents of Somowathi Home, its staff and their families, but also to people who live in the region.

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Sports, culture en recreation

A lot of attention is paid to sports, culture and recreation in the Somawathi Home. Not only fot the development of the children, but also because it fits a healthy life style and always gives a lot of joy.
Somawathi Home is essentially a Buddhist home respecting local values and standards. The children visit temple school on Sunday, learn traditional dances en music and mostly the girls are taught local traditions like lace-making and batik.

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In het Somawathi Home wordt veel aandacht besteed aan sport, cultuur en recreatie.

Financial help for non-resident children

A group of non-residential children is also part of the Somawathi family. These children live in the area, have lost one or both parents and live in their own community. This group of children – awarded the custody of to us by the National Child Authority, – is offered monthly financial support, medical and physical support.

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