Educate 33 children with disabilities in Sri Lanka

GlobalGiving as always gives us monetary support.  By providing a user-friendly portal for donors to provide financial donations GlobalGiving supports our vision and mission, to enable people with disabilities create productive and stimulating lives. Thanks to GlobalGiving we are able to provide all our many services free of charge to the families.

This year we went on our annual beach trip early, on the 5^th of February, hoping to avoid the monsoon season.  The sea was still rough apparently because it was a cloudy day. But we appreciated the clouds for providing shade from the brilliant tropical sun. Our students accompanied by a parent each, and a group of young volunteers gadded about sea and sand having a great time. An excellent lunch at a good hotel was another highlight. After lunch there was music and dancing in a hall provided by the hotel.  Hosting them brings E.A.S.E. Foundation great joy. 

We consider informed parents essential to our students. We held a workshop for parents on the sixth of March. They learned about Autism, Down syndrome etc. and how to help their children thrive.

As always, we joined the world-wide celebration of Autism Day on the 2^nd of April. A street drama group entertained us through a depiction of inclusion in a school setting.  Since our traditional New Years Day occurs in April we gave a bag of goodies to each family.

We also started a dance class conducted by a young professional dancer.  This is a very popular addition to our line up of classes. 

Without the support we get from donors through GlobalGiving none of this would have been possible.  Our heartfelt thanks go out to you for being the wind beneath our wings.

Chandima Rajapatirana

Anoja Rajapatirana

Co-Founder/Co-President

E.A.S.E. Foundation

www.easesrilanka.org

Tel: 0773 409 148

GlobalGiving support helps us, E.A.S.E. Foundation provide a variety of much needed services to a vulnerable and marginalized group.  This was especially true during the natural disaster that Sri Lanka endured towards the end of last year.  A cyclone named “Ditwa” devastated a large area of Sri Lanka.  It affected only four of the E.A.S.E. families.  However, community outreach has always been an important part of our mission.  With help from family and friends we were able to provide a number of services.  Since schools were closed our staff gathered at our house and cooked meals for fifty families during the first week of the disaster.  We delivered the meals to the edge of the flood and a member of the recipient community would come in a boat to collect them. We also gave bags of dry essentials to a distribution center. Twenty families in the flooded areas got financial aid from us too, to help them replace some of the household goods they lost to the flood waters. 

While festivities and celebrations were somewhat muted last year, we did have a lowkey celebration for our students and their families where we also distributed bags of dry essentials. Acknowledging Christmas, we included a boxed cake in the bags.

A friend donated through GlobalGiving to fund a project she particularly wanted. Providing mosquito nets to the 35 EASE families. An important help since both Dengu and Chikingunya mosquitos have returned. Thank you, GlobalGiving team for releasing those funds expeditiously.

Parent/community education is an important part of our program. We conducted a workshop for parents. Medical Officers of Health (MOH) also requested a workshop so their professionals could become knowledgeable on disability, especially Autism related issues. 

Our heartfelt thanks to GlobalGiving for providing a user-friendly portal for donors.  Partnering with you has enabled us provide all these valued services to our community.