Education Sri Lanka Project #46437

Empower 240 disabled children and adults

by Prithipura Communities

Project Report | Jul 9, 2021
Your support continues to sustain us!

By Katherine de Kretser | Project Leader

Thank you once again for your support to our cause. Since our last report in March we’ve received another $6,800 in donations via the GlobalGiving platform. This support continues to sustain us at this challenging time.

Sri Lanka has just come out of a period of increased restrictions island-wide since April due to a 3^rd wave of coronavirus infections. The vaccination programme, having started in January, has had a slow rollout due to supply issues. Around 10% of the population have had the vaccine at the moment. Unfortunately, clinically vulnerable people have not been prioritised in Sri Lanka, apart from people over 70 years of age, so it has been a challenge to ensure that those who live with us have access to the vaccine.

Thankfully in the last month or so, we have been able to secure the first dose of vaccine for 75 adults living at Prithipura Communities. This has taken place at our two branches in the Western Province – the Infants Home and Anandapura Farm– the area most affected by COVID-19 and where access to vaccine is most prevalent. We made special requests to our local health officials so that the vaccines could be given out on site to avoid the vulnerable people who live with us having to go out in the community to get the vaccine. This would have been dangerous and impractical as community-based vaccination locations have long queues and sadly social distancing is frequently not adhered too. We were really grateful that local ministry of health teams responded to our calls for help and came to each location to administer the vaccines efficiently and safely.

Although we are pleased that 75 people have received their first dose, there remains some work to be done. At present, those who have received their first dose of vaccine are awaiting their second dose. Furthermore, the policy in Sri Lanka is to only vaccinate those over 30 so at the Infants Home there are 62 children and adults under 30 including some staff who have not been vaccinated. Lastly, 120 children and adults living at Asokpaura Farm and Cotagala School have not been able to access the vaccine to date.

As ever, despite the challenges, we remain hopeful for the future. We are safe, happy and well and with support such as yours, we are confident that we can continue to weather the storm. Thank you once again for your commitment to supporting the children and adults with disabilities who call Prithipura their home!

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Vaccinations at the Infants Home

Vaccinations at Anandapura Farm

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Mar 16, 2021
Your donations make such a difference!

By Katherine de Kretser | Project Leader

Anula and Nadeeka

Thank you for your donations which are supporting our running costs in 2021!

All branches of Prithipura Communities remain closed to visitors and our food and supplies continue to be delivered. COVID-19 remains a risk all over Sri Lanka as with most of the world but we are pleased that a vaccination programme has now started in Sri Lanka and hope that we will have access to this soon.

In the meantime, we continue with our activities at the Infants Home, our school and our 2 farms.

Children and young people at the Infants Home are enjoying online speech and language therapy as our therapist is not able to visit at the moment. With support from Priyanka, our early years teacher, those participating are enjoying using technology new to them to access this.

The farms continue to develop their agricultural activities. The growing of aloe vera, a new initiative at Anandapura Farm, has been particularly successful. A multitude of vegetables continues to be produced at Asokapura Farm including tomatoes, different varieties of beans, radishes, chillies, pumpkin, aubergine, pineapple and lemongrass!

50 children at Cotagala School remained on-site throughout the pandemic whilst others who have links with their families stayed with them. Since January, all the students have returned and school activities are back to usual.

Since the launch of our campaign to raise funds for 2021 in December 2020, we have raised $11,500 via the GlobalGiving platform.

What does this fund?

Nearly 50 days of meals – breakfast, lunch, dinner as well as morning and afternoon tea – for 100 children and adults with disabilities living at the Infants Home OR

The basic annual salaries of 10 members of our staff team – carers, teachers and farm workers OR

70% of monthly food costs for 240 children and adults with disabilities living across our 4 locations OR

Over 7 months of breakfast for 120 children and adults with disabilities living at Cotagala School and Asokapura Farm.

Special thanks to our 16 monthly donors whose support will continue to sustain us throughout 2021. You can find out more about setting up a monthly donation here:

Find out more about monthly donations

Thank you again for your support – we hope you are all keeping safe and well - here’s to better times ahead!

Geethani at Cotagala School

Watering the vegetable plots - Asokapura Farm

Morning activities at Anandapura Farm

Online speech therapy at the Infants Home

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Our 2021 Newsletter

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Nov 27, 2020
Your support means so much to us!

By Katherine de Kretser | Project Leader

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