Food scarcity looms in Srilanka, orphanages face uphill task of feeding children as funds dry
Jul 19, 2022
By Ashoke Raj
Colombo [Sri Lanka], July 19 : Amid the unprecedented political and economic situation in Sri Lanka, the island country is now facing food insecurity due to the ongoing crisis that could severely affect thousands of children.
Amid this crisis, the Colombo Expats Cultural Association (CECA) group of Indians in Colombo has taken a special task for a massive fundraising campaign to support this mammoth task of providing funds and food for the orphanages.
This support comes as about 10,600 children living in 379 orphanages could face trouble due to a shortage of funds that they receive from foreign and non-governmental organizations.
"Actually we are facing challenges, especially my department, the probation and the child care services. We are responsible for each and every child in Sri Lanka in my country. These children who are sheltered in orphanages are in a vulnerable group now because the foreign funds and NGOs fund those kinds of funds are being used for day-to-day activities... So in this situation, we can't predict the same kind of funds running into these orphanages," Thanuja Dissanayake, Acting Commissioner of the department of probation and child care services, Sri Lanka.
A manager of the orphans centre told ANI that, "we need immediate support in terms of funds and basic foods for the kids because we already curtailed their food quantity due to the current crisis in the country."
"Earlier we gave four curries in food items and now we have reduced the items and serve two curries and other foods," a Colombo-based orphan centre manager told ANI.
The Colombo Expats Cultural Association (CECA) group of Indians in Colombo has taken a pledge for Providing food for the orphanages for 100 days. For that, CECA has ordered and the shipment has arrived in the Colombo port with the rice, pulses and other basic items and soon it will be handed over to the orphanage centres.
"CECA mobilized a special task team for a massive fundraising campaign. With the ease of India-Sri Lanka import policies and government approval, it was decided that all these commodities be purchased in India and brought into Sri Lanka. Through the 30-day fundraising campaign, CECA was successfully able to fundraise enough to provide 306,500 Kg of Dry Ration. All thanks to families, friends, relatives and Corporates who poured their support in ways that was beyond expectation," Captain Anirban Banerjee told ANI.
"The entire effort and consignments are scheduled to be shipped, unloaded and distributed to the last mile (379 orphanages) with the help of 20 trucks before July 31, 2022. CECA will make sure that all 10,600 kids living in 379 orphanages get their 100-day Dry Ration to their doorstep," he added.
"We have a small number of food stocks. We don't have much food in stock... that will be very difficult to say how long we run the kitchen and foods for orphanages everything...we are very very committed and we will try to provide everything to the kids," orphanages centre manager told ANI.
The department of probation child care services, which comes under the Minister of Women and Social Empowerment in Sri Lanka, praised India and the Indians who are helping the orphanage centres amid the crisis in the country.
"This is not the first time that CECA is helping us... they helped us during the covid pandemic and organised art competitions and provided 700 computers to the orphanage when they were in vulnerable situations. On the behalf of the minister of women's affairs and social empowerment.. it's highly admirable and appreciable," Thanuja Dissanayake, Acting Commissioner of the department of probation and child care services, Sri Lanka told ANI.
Meanwhile, the probation of Child Care Services is confident they will come out of the crisis after six months.
