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“I am very happy that SOS Children’s Village has now come to Jaffna, the north of our country. I have been associated with the Organisation since 1987,” said Mrs. Imelda Sukumaran, Jaffna Government Agent while laying the foundation stone of SOS Children’s Village Jaffna in Sri Lanka on February 13, 2012.
Mr. Karunarathne, Mrs. Dias, Mrs. Sukumaran, Mr. Ganeshraja, Mr. Swaminathan-Village Director (from left to right) alongwith priests & children at foundation laying ceremony
Joined her on the occasion was the Guest of Honour Mr. Maniccavasagar Ganesharaja, Hon. Judge – District Courts, Jaffna.
Along with children and mothers many people were present including provincial Commissioner, Department of Probation and Child Care Services, Assistant Government Agent Nallur.
“It is dreams come true for the people of Sri Lanka who wanted to see a better future for children of Jaffna and Northern Province,” uttered Mrs Dias the President of Board of Directors of SOS Children’s Villages Sri Lanka in her welcome address.
For the remaining 74 children who have been in the care of SOS Children’s Villages Sri Lanka since the end of the civil war in the country in June 2009 it’s a second opportunity to have a family. With the closure of the IDP Camp at Manick Farm, Chettikulam, these children are being cared for in four rented buildings in Jaffna.
“Soon after the war SOS Children’s Villages provided support to more than 234 unaccompanied children at Chettikulam in the Manik Farm IDP camp. We are happy that we could reunite 160 children to their families,” said Mr Ananda Karunarathne, National Director of SOS Children’s Villages Sri Lanka.
“At that time I was the Assistant Government Agent for Vavuniya. Three children- sibling of the same family who lost their parents due to the prevailing situation was entrusted to me by the District Judge to find a suitable place for the children to grow up. And I was introduced to this great organisation where these children once again found a home and a family to live in. Initially I have been monitoring the care that these children were receiving and soon I was convinced that the children received love, protection and respect to grow up in a caring family and had a good future,” recalled Mrs Sukumaran.
“All three siblings grew up in SOS Children’s Village Nuwara Eliya where Tamil and Sinhala families live together. They are now married and have their families like more than 1500 youngsters of SOS Children’s Villages Sri Lanka who are contributing their part into the nation building,” said Mr Divakar Ratnadurai while welcoming all the guests.
“Let’s all pledge today to take good care of our children,” Mrs. Imelda Sugumaran, said in her speech.
“The Organisation commenced its work in the country in 1979 with the setting up of its first SOS Children’s Village in Piliyandala. Over the 32 years, we have branched out with setting up of many SOS Facilities for children and women in the country. I extend my thanks to everyone who contributed and supported in establishing the sixth SOS Children’s Village in Jaffna,” said Mrs Dias.
SOS Children’s Village Jaffna will have 12 family houses, an SOS kindergarten and an SOS Youth home for boys and girls by next year.
