First Family that We Helped from SL Charity Project at Elpitiya | 10% to SL Charity

I was writing this post later as I was busy with many stuffs. Because it is Sinhala and Hindu NEW YEAR here in Sri Lanka. I will write on it separately and here I want to say something on the topic.

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Though we have not been to these houses previously, we had a thought on this with the words of my friend @rasinkani who selected families with the help of Sri Sumangala thero from her village temple, Gam Ima Sri Sudassanarama Viharaya. Thero has selected those families by considering several facts. Buddhist monks are wiser than us in social things. Because they engage with people in many occasions.

Sumangala thero had considered financial status, number of schooling (non-schooling) students, students' academinc performance and parents' willingness on children's education. I think this is a good selection. Because some parents do not want to educate their children. So the children are also ending up being low income/ jobless personals.

In my country Sri Lanka, free education is provided to all children from primary to university (If got selected), therefore you need a little help from your family with other necessary things to become educated. I also got up to this level with the help of free education system. But specially, I had very supportive family. So, support from the family is the backbone of the success.

So, it was a happiness to help someone who need a little support towards their success. Because, as I said, if one from a family could somehow achieve the success in this learning process, whole family can come out of the burdens they were having over generations. I had this thought in my mind through out this project.

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The very first family lives near the temple not that much far away. A sweet girl came near to the road to lead us her home. She was on a bicycle. Very cleverly rode it. May be, she goes to her school and classes from this one. We finally reached her home. It was a halfly built house with much difficulties that you can recognize with a single look.

The small Livingroom was decorated with paper crafts done by two sisters in the family. I remembered my home. I used to make paper crafts like that too. As temple had informed them that we were coming beforehand, they have arranged us drinks. We did not refuse it as it could break their hearts. In villages, people have big hearts full of kindness and hospitality.

In this house, their income comes from working related to cinnamon industry. We have cinnamon cultivations in my area too. Many of the villagers work there. The ones who cut cinnamon plants, remove the outer surface, peel out the harvest and shape it, do not have work for whole year. Because at some time of the year, it is hard to take the peel out of the tree. At that time they do not have a work to do. So, they have to spend their savings at that time.

Normally those who are doing this, do this for generations. But most of the families do not have any further success. This happens as they do not have any work for some times of the year. In my point of view, they can overcome this if they do some additional things during that time.

Their was a cute boy there who was sitting with us. He had grabbed the sweet packet in the bag that we gave them. He was very talkative and chatted with us. This was captured by @sandupi who was sitting next to me.

We requested them to study well. Then we left them to go to the next house. We had a photo together with the permission of the family. It was happy to help them. It may help to have a "Better New Year " this time. 💖