Heaven is missing: some angels

Ishara JAYAWARDANE

SOS children’s village

Playing football. Pictures by Sarath Peiris

Children with their mother

The SOS Children’s Village, Piliyandala is full of little angels. They are shy, lovable and trusting and the doors to their hearts are wide open. Heaven must surely be missing some angels. Daily News paid a visit to the SOS Children’s Village to talk to these little bundles of joy and ask them if we could visit their little world for a brief while; A gentle world where they are protected and loved. Readers please note that the real names of these children have been withheld to protect the children and ensure their security.

Voice of children

The first child I spoke to was Ashini (9) who was extremely shy and with a lot of coaxing said that she had joined the SOS Family at the age of four and wants to be a doctor. She said that visiting her Akka who had recently got married made her happy.

Another little boy I spoke to was Wasantha (12) who has been in the Family for the last five years. Wasantha has an older brother. Mr.Hettige present at the interview gently prodded the little boy encouraging him to talk saying that the children have many memories but they have forgotten and are a little excited Wasantha said he wants to be an engineer. When asked what his sweetest memory was Wasantha said that it was his birthday. At school his favourite subject is mathematics.

Kumari,(14) was another little girl that I spoke to. She had been in the SOS Family for the last 10 years. She has a little brother in the same SOS Family. Kumari counts going holiday camping in Moneragala, as a pleasant and unforgettable memory. Kumari wants to be a dancing teacher when she grows up with her dance troupe. Her favourite subject at school is dancing.

Indunil (23) a University Students said “I have been here for nearly 17 years. I am now in the Sabaragamuwa campus. I am in the Agro science field. I have two sisters. I did not feel the loss of my parents during the time I was here. There is a mother here and there are uncles to take care of us. The facilities for education are here. From the time I was small I liked to learn. The time I spent here was a pleasant one. We go on trips and I have a lot of brothers and sisters here. I teach science here.

Kids having fun!

One day that stands out for me is the day I went to campus.” Jeewan, who has been in the SOS Family for the last three years, is an engineer in the making, counting Mathematics as his favourite subject. He also wants to build a house of his own. One of his happiest memories is going to Anuradhapura, visiting Ruwanwelisaya and Shri Maha Bodhi and coming back home.

Lalitha (9), is another adorable little girl who has come to SOS Family when she was four days. In that sense she is one of the youngest and also very shy. She looked at me with wide eyed interest. A little girl who is interested in science she wants to be a doctor.

Nimal has been at the Family for the last seven or eight months. Among the memories he treasures is when he welcomed Minister Thissa Karaliyadde at a function held recently. During our little chat Nimal said that he wanted to be a pilot and soar above the skies. “I want to study hard, pass my O/L and A/L and do a good job.”

Singithi another little girl said she cherishes her little family and is living happily in the SOS Children’s Village. She recalled going holiday camping as an unforgettable memory with the activities and fun of competing with each other. It was an exciting time. A girl who loves to dance she wants to be a dance instructor.

The village

Assistant Director of SOS Children’s Village Piliyandala,Laksiri Hettige also shared his views on the SOS Children’s Village. “There are 16 Families here with 16 mothers. Every home has about 10 children. These Families are supported by the Co-workers in the Village who aid the mothers and see that everything runs smoothly and there are no problems. There is a separate staff for these duties.

Apart from this there is a residential staff comprising of counselors and educator. In addition there is our office with its own staff. There is a file on every child. One other function of the office is expenditure for the children. There is a special bond here between the children and the Co-workers, mothers, educators and counselors.

Assistant Director SOS Children’s village, Piliyandala, Laksiri Hettige	Deputy National Director/ Director Programmes,SOS Children’s Villages Sri Lanka, Divakar Ratnadurai

This is the home away from home and a loving family. This is different to any normal children’s home. Here we think in the long term. Until the girls get married they will live with their mothers in the Families. The mothers here play a huge role. They go out into society knowing they can always fall back on the safety net which is their mother. They will never be abandoned.

SOS Children’s Village was formed in 1948, after the Second World War In 1949 the first village was started in Imst, Austria. “The primary function of SOS Children’s Village is to look after children who have lost their parents, in a family environment on a long term basis. The other unique feature of SOS Children’s Villages is that when we receive natural siblings, they grow up in the same family.

The children who come here have someone to fall back on, even when they grow up. After care service is also given, which is one primary work of SOS,” said Deputy National Director/Director Programmes, SOS Children’s Villages Sri Lanka, Divakar Ratnadurai. The Co-workers of SOS Children’s Village also work in the community where the children are going to be abandoned. “So we work towards prevention of abandonment.

There are families who maybe poor, father is an alcoholic and is not looking after the children, due to different reasons. We select these families and work towards the children and the family, so that the child does not get abandoned. We try to see that the child lives with the biological family. That is the best way because every child should live with their family. But with the last resort - there is nothing happening, if the situation is not improving, then they come to the SOS Children’s Villages,” said Ratnadurai.

SOS family

Some of the children come from single parents and others are double orphans. “If the children have parents, they come and visit the children, so that the children can keep contacts with their biological parents as well. All the children in SOS Children’s Village have come through the Department of Probation & Child Care Services. SOS Children’s Village has an agreement with the Ministry of Social Services and registered under the Department of Probation & Child Care Services.

All the children are admitted through them maybe through courts orders as well. If any child is there, if they contact us, we will once again contact the Department of Probation & Child Care Services in the normal form, so children come to SOS Children’s Village as per the rules and regulations of this country. There are few who have their biological families and when they reach the age of 18, they can further continue with the SOS or get reunited. But if we find a family where they could look after the child, we will definitely re unite the child. This part is not only done by us, we also work with the Department of Probation & Child Care Services and the Probation checks if the family is stable to look after the child.”

Once you are 18, you have your freedom but in the case of SOS there is a family bond because the child has grown up from small age; SOS wants to help them and prepare them for their future, so they will not be a burden to society. After they are 18 they do not live inside the village.

“When they are 14, years, the boys go to the youth house. The girls live with the mother till 18. Once they are 18 and complete studies and start working, we have a place in Katubedda for them called Working Girl’s Facility. It is like a boarding. They can stay there for about three to four years until they are fully prepared to get themselves integrated into the society. During this time we also try to seek proposals, so they can get married and go out into the society. There are instances where they find their own partners and marriage take place with the blessings of the elders in the SOS Family. The wedding happens in the Village; if it is Buddhist, it is the Poruwa and if it is Hindu, it is a Kovil wedding.

It is the same thing for the boys. When they are 14, they go into the youth. From there if they are 18, if they are still studying they go to university. The ones who are doing vocational training, they stay in a small apartment in Boralesgamuwa for one or two years and follow vocational training and go into society. But they can also return and say hello to their SOS mothers, brothers and sisters. Especially on a Sunday, you can see lots of young working boys and girls coming back to the SOS Village and saying hello to their mothers. During the time of the Sinhala Tamil New Year. There is a house full. 150 - 160 former children come with their children, because this is their Maha Gedera. “

SOS Mother is something unique where women who are over 30 years and under 40 years are taken in. “SOS Mothers get a salary and all statutory benefits.

The mothers’ vocation is a pensionable profession in SOS Children’s Villages Sri Lanka. We do not want these mothers to be a burden in their society.We want her to have a pension and a place to live for the rest of her life.