Foster Parent schols for destitute children

by Sarath MALALASEKERA

People in the South should ensure a runaway victory for the UPFA at the forthcoming election to enhance President Mahinda Rajapaksa's hands and enable him to steer the nation towards peace and prosperity overcoming all local and international challenge, said former Southern Range Senior Deputy Inspector General of Police D. W. Prathapasinghe addressing a UPFA election meeting in Matara District recently.

He said that the scheme of "Foster Parent Scholarships" has been formulated in the Southern Province to support the unprotected children so that they can escape the perpetrators of crimes or economic and social situations whilst continuing to have contact with responsible family members.

Southern Province UPFA Candidate for the forthcoming elections Prathapasinghe, known as "the first foster father from the South" said addressing a mammoth gathering that the foundation for the Protection of Unprotected Children is an inspirational scheme for the restriction of crime in particular and also of natural occurrences.

This Foster Parent Scholarships is not only for the unprotected children in the Southern Province, but also to all the unprotected children in the entire country with the blessings of President Mahinda Rajapaksa, UPFA candidate Prathapasinghe said.

The Foundation for the Protection of Unprotected Children also has been set up at Kathaluwa in the Ahangama Police area.

This foundation is responsible for looking after 68 children who are 'victims of crimes.' The foundation considered it important to maintain self-respect and dignity, he said.

Prathapasinghe emphasised that there were a series of cases where under-aged children had been molested by their fathers or relatives. As a result the children could not continue with their education and they fall into a vicious circle of neglect and abuse, as a consequence they become involved in crime themselves.

The foster father Prathapsinghe said that he has set-up a new scheme to adopt the children who had been affected by the recently concluded LTTE war.

Pic. by Saman Sri Wedage.