The island nation of Sri Lanka is located just east of India’s southern tip. It has been known by many names over the centuries, but it fittingly derives its current name from the Sinhalese words meaning “resplendent island.” Amidst its tropical rainforests, coastal plains and south-central highlands, Sri Lanka boasts the highest biodiversity density in Asia, with roughly a quarter of its thousands of species of plant life and mammals existing nowhere else on the planet. Prehistoric settlements suggest that humans have called this land home for thousands of years. Its strategic location made it an important part of the ancient Silk Road, and its deep ports were important during World War II.
Currently, children in Sri Lanka are at risk living in extreme poverty with no food or basic resources.
More recently, in the wake of Portuguese, Dutch and British colonization, Sri Lanka maintains its rich and ancient cultural heritage, comprising diverse ethnic groups, languages and religions. Despite its many advances, internal ethnic tensions remained active in Sri Lanka. In 1983, these culminated in 26 years of insurgencies and civil war, which, along with reports of corruption and widespread abuses of civil rights — not to mention the devastating tsunami of 2004 — left the nation reeling. Today, despite years of economic recovering, Sri Lanka has been plagued by widespread poverty, lack of food and fuel, and political unrest. Many of its citizens find themselves without means to afford basic necessities.
Challenges for Children in Sri Lanka
Currently, children in Sri Lanka are at risk living in extreme poverty with no food or basic resources. According to the American Psychological Association, child poverty can lead to hunger and illness that can impair their development. Right now, children in Sri Lanka need your help.
- Nearly half of all children in Sri Lanka require some form of humanitarian assistance
- Sri Lanka has the world’s seventh highest child malnutrition rates
- Two in five babies were not being fed the minimum acceptable diet
- Seventy percent of households report they’ve cut down on food consumption,
often going from three meals a day to two in the last year - Access to safe water for drinking and domestic use is in decline in the country,
posing an increased risk of waterborne diseases
Our Work in Sri Lanka
Thanks to caring people like you, Children Incorporated has helped thousands of impoverished children in Sri Lanka since 1964.
We work with our volunteer coordinators in local communities to provide health and nutrition, education, hygiene items, clothes, shoes, and other basic needs essentials that help children and families rise above the poverty in which they live.
Our strategy is to focus on individual children through our sponsorship program, ensuring they are receiving exactly what they need on a regular basis.
Your support makes all our work possible for Sri Lankan children in crisis.
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How do I sponsor a child in Sri Lanka?
You can sponsor a child in Sri Lanka in one of three ways: call our office at 1-800-538-5381 and speak with one of our staff members; email us at sponsorship@children-inc.org; or go online to our sponsorship portal, create an account, and search for a child in Sri Lanka that is available for sponsorship.
SOURCES:
https://www.unicefusa.org/stories/unicef-south-asia/40018?access=YZp18G7