Sittandy Girls' Home
Yogaswami Hindu Girls
Home in Sittandy,
Sri Lanka
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Vision Statement
The girls of today will be the mothers of tomorrow. Children growing up without parents face great challenges. Let us provide them with an environment where they are nurtured physically, mentally and spiritually. Make a difference in their young lives today and pave the way for a future generation of loving and giving women.
A US$9,000.00 donation to the endowment will support one girl in the orphanage forever. When she grows up and goes out on her own, your donation will support the next little baby girl who takes her place. Click here to go to the secure online site for deposits to the Endowment. Scroll down that page to check the line for Sittandy Yogaswami Girls' Home.
There are also a lot of immediate cash needs arising from the Tsunami disaster. Click here to go to the "Direct Donations" page to find our more and have your donation go directly to Sri Lanka right away.
Introduction
Yogaswami Hindu Girls' Home was established in 1999 for the sole purpose of providing a brighter future for girls who had lost their parents due to the ethnic conflict and natural disasters. The administration of this home is handled by a Board of seven members, under the guidance of the Sivathondan Society. The land was donated by the London Orphanage Trust. [photo: Orphans in front of a picture of Sivayogaswami.]
Initially the hostel was home to 15 girls and was managed with assistance given by the public, in particular by Tamil businessmen of Batticaloa district. Now home to 37 girls, and 1 boy, Yogaswarmi Home still depends upon help from the public since it has not, to date, received any Government funds.
Due to the prevailing economic conditions, the home finds it very difficult to make ends meet. The average expenditure for one child is Rs. 100 (US$1) per day, so they need approximately Rs. 4,000 (US$40) per day. Hence for a month they require Rs 120,000 (US$1,200). US$9,125.00 the endowment yields approximately $365.00 a year, enough to just cover the cost for one orphan.
Details
The 38 children are cared for by one matron, two cooks, one clerk and a night watchman. Since the home originally housed 15 girls, it is woefully inadequate for 38 children. That said, the hostel is situated on a reasonably large plot of ground, which could support extensions/outhouses.
The present building consists of one large room which doubles up as the girls' study hall and sleeping hall. Off this main room is a small reception hall in which the clerk works, and off this reception room is a storeroom (for food stuffs). To the side of the main room there is one small prayer room, and three equally small rooms which contain the girls few possessions, namely clothes and books. The kitchen is to the rear of the building. The cooking is done on an open hearth. The girls eat on the floor in the kitchen area.
There is one well where the girls bathe and wash their clothes. It is surrounded by a tin wall for privacy. In addition there is one bathroom which the older girls occasionally use. The smaller girls often bathe underneath taps in the garden when the well is too crowded, as it invariably is. There are 4 toilets. However, one has neither water supply nor light fixtures, and one has no light fixtures. Because the home was not designed to accommodate so many girls, the drainage is inadequate and cannot cope with the large amounts of water being used at the well. The dirty water streams into the children's play area where it collects in a stagnant pool.
Address
Yogaswami Hindu Girls' Home,
Main Street,
Sittandy - 30378,
Batticaloa District,
Sri Lanka