ChildFund to host “Sri Lanka Gives Back Charity Dinner and Cricfest” fundraiser to support Economic Independence of Youth with Disabilities

Disability and poverty are inter-linked. Most often, people with disability are amongst the poorest and highly vulnerable. They are less likely to have access to health care, education, livelihoods, and social opportunities than people without disability, and often face discrimination. This can result in challenges such as reduced income, complex health issues, and social exclusion. There is substantial evidence that poverty can be cause for disability, triggers could be malnutrition and poor hygiene/sanitation, co-morbidities, perilous working conditions. Disability prevalence is highest amongst the poorest people.

Lack of early detection and timely intervention, weak systems that encourage inclusiveness in all walks of life are key reasons that many young people are left with few options. Rehabilitation services, which are limited to certain hospitals, are hardly accessible and/or affordable for persons with disabilities specially when their families belong to the low-income strata. More allocation of resources from the government and increasing its accessibility could bring in changes to the current scenario.

The national education system has also been inadequate in responding to specific needs of children and youth with disabilities. To name a few gaps include lack of suitable infrastructure, teachers who are specially trained to deal with children and young people with special needs, appropriate reading materials etc.

Small Steps with a Resolve!

ChildFund Sri Lanka, a leading child development organization committed to uplifting lives of vulnerable children and their families, implementing integrated programs in areas of health, sanitation and hygiene, nutrition, education, youth employment and entrepreneurship.  Programs are designed with child protection as the foundation including supporting and empowering children and young people with disabilities.  

To promote and encourage dignity and self-reliance of the PWDs, ChildFund Sri Lanka in November 2018 launched Phase 1 of an innovative program ‘Social Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in Sri Lanka through Community Based Rehabilitation (CBR) to respond to some of the gaps highlighted above. Phase 1 was completed in June 2020.

The three-year project, funded by the Lipoid Foundation, and our Alliance member ChildFund Germany, worked with over 1000 children and youth with a disability, their parents/caregivers in three Divisional Secretariat divisions in Mannar, Mullaitivu, and Puttalam district. 

Key interventions included establishing a platform for disabled persons to voice their needs and concerns, strengthening divisional Disabled Peoples Organisations (DPOs), building capacity for  economic opportunities and connecting them with opportunities for employment, supporting for self-employment, equip existing vocational training centers to include PWDs. ChildFund Sri Lanka partnered with and provided capacity building opportunities for government stakeholders such as representatives from Department of Social Services, Special Education personnel at the Zonal level, teachers and principals, health care workers. 

Measuring Impact

ChildFund Sri Lanka takes great pride that we had the opportunity and privilege to positively impact 852 PWDs, 176 youth with disabilities and 216 children with disabilities, totaling 1,244 lives. In addition, much needed awareness of issues impacting PWDs was created amongst volunteers, and government officers. Some of the affirmative changes that can be observed in the society are 26 Self Help Groups consisting of 852 members, three DPOs inclusive of 15 officials, five Steering Committees each comprising of 24 members and 156 Government officials who are actively functioning ensuring sustainability and continuity of the interventions that were initiated. 

But we cannot stop here! There is much more to be done. 

In Phase II  we will continue to go deeper in the same geographies and enhance the capacity of service providers, improve health and rehabilitation facilities (Physiotherapy services, medical screening, rehabilitation plans, preventive health services and assistive devices), educational resources (general education, special education, teaching and learning materials) and vocational training and business development guidance (vocational skill development, provision of livelihood assets, access to credit, business development training, entrepreneurship training, employment linkages and career guidance).

The sky is the limit for our children and young people, and they can dream, and dream big irrespective of their background and/or disability. ChildFund Sri Lanka, along with its partners, is committed to bring real change in the lives of those who need our support and look forward to new innovative partnerships and generating more resources from within the country.

ChildFund Sri Lanka is organizing a charity dinner “Sri Lanka Gives Back Charity Dinner and Cricfest” in aid of Children and Youth with disability as described above. The event is focused on attendance of leaders in public and corporate sectors, non-government organizations, community leaders of international service organizations and other respected individuals. This dinner will consist of several activities such as an auction for a cricket bat signed by the winning team of Asia Cup 2022, a performance by children with disabilities and a cricket quiz session. The focus of this event will be to emphasize on the importance of charity and how we can help vulnerable  communities through our fundraising initiative. 

The event is planned for the 4th of November 2022 at Ramada Colombo at 7pm.  Tickets can be purchased at Good Market Racecourse on 22nd and 28th Saturday October at the ChildFund Outlet and also on the day of the event at the venue.  For more information call Geethma on 0715660700.