|
|
|
| Sunday, 25 September 2005 |
 |
|
 |
Features |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
|
Brave new world by Aditha Dissanayake
Where? Where has all the love gone?...Relax. Love hasn't disappeared altogether yet. Even nine months after the tsunami, love is still around. In great abundance. Where? At the Drop-in Centres of the National Child Protection Authority (NCPA) to be built with the aim of restoring the lives of tsunami affected orphans. Statistics Staggering statistics reveal that the tsunami disaster of December 26 affected five of the nine provinces and 13 of the 25 districts in Sri Lanka. The number of affected families varies from 13,675 in Matara, 23, 158 in Galle, 6,221 in Kalutara, 9647 in Colombo and 232 in Puttalam. Approximately 40,000 people are estimated to be dead and 6,000 to 7,000 are missing. Needless to say this has immediate implications for children who remain alive and who have lost one or both parents. According to the initial surveys carried out by the NCPA, (with UNICEF/SCF data) 3,202 children have lost one parent, 858 both parents and 38 are unaccompanied. As these orphans have special physical, emotional and social needs which have to be met, for them to grow and develop normally, it is natural that they have to be the first to receive protection and assistance. Focusing on this fact, the NCPA is planning to establish three Drop-in Centres for children living in tsunami affected districts where they will have access to psychosocial support, such as literacy and computer classes, vocational training, aesthetic activities and most important, recreational facilities, which are all relevant to psychosocial well-being and healing. The brainchild of Professor Harendra de Silva, the former Chairman of the NCPA, the new Drop in Centres, will provide the same services provided by the six other already existing Centres scattered round the country. According to Dr. Hirathi Wijemanne, the present Chairperson, attention will be paid to the promotion of life skills and healthy life styles. Teachers (three per centre) will be trained by the NCPA with the Psychosocial Unit of the NCPA performing supervisory and support roles for each centre. "Around 120 children will be supported through each centre" says Dr. Wijemanne. "Based on our experience with the other similar centres set up for children, we are confident that such children will benefit greatly from this initiative and will be able to a great extent, to overcome the devastating effect of the tsunami on their lives". Easy access The NCPA had already established 6 Drop-in Centres (before the tsunami) with funding from the World Bank in geographically identified areas in the country, for children at risk of contracting HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases. Out of these six, the centres in Seenigama and Weligama were totally destroyed by the tsunami. While work is under way to re-establish these two centres, the other centres at Pettah, Uswetekeiyawa, Anuradhapura and Payagala continue to provide children the opportunity to enhance their aesthetic skills such as music and art, as well as providing vocational training for those above 15 years in the areas of sewing, fabric painting etc. The centres, manned by qualified personnel trained by NCPA are the only source of education for children who do not attend school. The funds needed for constructing the new centres, amounting to US$ 80,000 has been donated by the Freseniuf Medical Care Asia Pacific Limited (FMC), which is the world's largest, integrated provider of products and services for individuals undergoing dialysis because of chronic kidney failure. Frank Wagner, Vice President of Freseniuf Medical Care, Central Asia Pacific, expressing the concern felt for the victims of the tsunami says "We are deeply moved by the suffering caused by the tsunami disaster in Asia. To offer assistance, we organised an immediate aid package that included cash donations, life-saving medical supplies and construction assistance for medical facilities." Thorsten Bruce, Business Manager, FMC, complimenting the work of the NCPA says "We are deeply impressed with the work of the NCPA and have donated funds totalling USD 80,000 to support the NCPA's efforts to provide counselling, care and support to children affected by the diaster through a long-term program that will support children through a number of day care centres providing psychosocial counselling. We hope that these funds in some way can help rebuild lives that have been affected by this tragedy". Ample proof that love is still around. It will surely not be long before the wounded souls will recover and smiles appear on the faces of the tsunami orphans, heralding a brave new world. *** Objectives of the Drop-in Centres * Use the centres as a focal point for psycho-social rehabilitation as a part of the main program that is planned. Using art therapy/drama, group therapy etc as a medium to address the trauma of the tsunami and/or traumatic situations faced in life either before or after the tsunami. * Educate vulnerable children and youth in high-risk areas on the following subjects; sex education, sexual abuse and exploitation, HIV/AIDS and other STDs, drugs, alcohol and tobacco use. * Provide facilities to youth and children so that they have access to educational material and entertainment. * The facilities provided are instrumental in keeping the children/youth away from the risks of the environment in which they live. * Address specific issues concerning individual children who have been
abused or who are vulnerable to abuse. |
|
| News | Business | Features
| Editorial | Security
| Produced by Lake House |
