Mirror Magazine

Mirror Magazine

For those in need
By Marisa de Silva
“Tis the season to be jolly…” unfortunately not for us all I’m afraid. But, maybe there’s a way we might be able to make everyone’s season a little bit more jolly. Although, it’s just a drop in the ocean, they do say something’s better than nothing, right? Instead of just doling out money here and there, here’s a more personalised method you could try out. Given below is a brief list of specific needs of a few homes in need. So, let yourself go this Christmas by going a bit out of your way to do something for some children in whose lives you could really make a difference.

01. The Atthanagalla Children’s Home, Nittambuwa, (Tel: 033-2280329), is home to 24 boys. They are in dire need of five mattresses, 24 umbrellas, 12 bed sheets, 12 blue mosquito nets, a flask, 24 shorts and t-shirts (casual wear) a camera (to capture special moments with the children), antiseptic cream (Septex, Dettol, Savlon etc.) and six bottles of Pynol.

02. St. Mary’s Boys Home, Kalmunai, (Tel: 067- 2229428) is home to 92 children aged 10 to 22, who are all school-going children, of whom 10 have also gained admission to university. They need CR and exercise books for school, and clothes.

03. St. Joseph’s Girls Home, Batticaloa, (Tel: 065-2222216) has 65 children in total. This home needs medicines like panadol, plasters, bandages, antiseptic creams (Septex, Dettol, Savlon etc.), dry rations and a TV, as the one they presently have has already been repaired thrice.

04. Lewella Home for Handicapped Boys, Kandy (Mrs. R. Ellepola, Tel: 081-2232692) has 25 boys from the age of 6 to 18. They are in need of 15, 5 x 2 ft. mattresses, five clothes racks, garden tools (to help further their newly started agricultural programme) and milk powder.

05. Meegammana Girls Home, Wattegama (Mrs. R. Ellepola, Tel: 081-2232692) houses 50 girls aged 3 to 18. They are in need of 50 mosquito nets, milk powder and a computer (to give them a basic knowledge in computers, at least).

06. Maathri Children’s Home, Borella, (Tel: 0112-2671894) has 36 girls from the ages of 6 to 12. They are mainly in need of medicines like antiseptic creams (Septex, Dettol, Savlon etc.), cough mixture, vitamin E, plasters, bandages, dry rations (rice, gram, sugar, tea, dhal) and floral printed polythene (to be used as table cloths).

07. Sri Pemananda Children’s Home, Dambulla (Tel: 066-2285366) is home to 25 children aged 5 to 16. Their needs include 25 mattresses, 25 bed sheets, 25 long mosquito nets (to accommodate bunk beds), plastic plates and cups, five jugs, library books, five towel racks, 10 litres of paint (butter milk colour), a blender and an electric scraper.

08. Aruna Home for Mentally Handicapped Children, Panadura (Raja/Rajpal Salgado, Tel: 038-2232373) is desperately in need of funds to build an additional dormitory. Please feel free to contact any one of these homes for more details regarding feasibility and other particulars.

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