Thriving Even Under Lockdown
If you meet ten-year-old Sahan* playing in the grove in his village in Sri Lanka, it would be difficult to imagine the trauma he and his brothers endured at an early age. Sahan and his two younger brothers suffered through a year at an institution where he was beat up and bullied by the older boys there. “They used to beat me,” he says, not showing much emotion for a phase of his life he tries hard to forget.
When Sahan and his siblings were young, his parents neglected them and later abandoned them. His grandmother, who is taking care of them now, alleges that abuse from their parents led them to be hospitalized. After this incident, their mother left and their father did not properly care for them. With help from SOS Children’s Villages Sri Lanka, Sahan and his brothers were reunited with their grandmother and supported by the SOS Family Strengthening Program (FSP). Sahan’s younger brothers are now nine and five years old. Sahan and his nine-year-old brother are in school while the youngest is in kindergarten.
Grandmother Pushpa says Sahan is the brightest child she has ever seen. She talks about how she was amazed that Sahan managed to be first in his class after going through a very tough time and experiencing stress from a young age. She is tearful when she talks about how the children are happy and safe now.
“Their emotional state has improved greatly. They used to look very sad and disoriented most of the time before, but now that they’re with me they look and feel very happy, bright and full of energy. I am also grateful for the educational benefits my grandchildren get through the SOS program. During the lockdown when everything was shut down these kids kept up with their lessons with the help of the community tutors,” grandmother Pushpa says.
The SOS community office has distributed additional educational materials like test exams, textbooks and class exercises. During the lockdown, education materials were circulated by SOS staff to children in the SOS Family Strengthening Program. A coordinator with a smartphone was sent educational material by the school and would share these with the children who did not have access to technology. Despite the setbacks of COVID-19 and the school shutdown, Sahan and his brothers are making the most of their time together and not missing any school lessons.
*Name changed to protect the privacy of the child
Canadians wishing to help vulnerable children are encouraged to sponsor a child, sponsor a Village or make a Donation today to our COVID-19 response.