SL 06 – AFTER SCHOOL CARE FOR TAMIL CHILDREN
Project Location
For some years now, Sri Lanka has been experiencing an economic crisis never recorded before in its history. Only recently, and also thanks to the arrival of tourists, the country is experiencing a slow but continuous recovery. The economic crisis has affected the daily life of the population. The increase in prices has made it almost impossible for people to buy food. Some people have already started to emigrate to other countries to escape the effects of the crisis.
Food production in recent years has also been lower than before due to the ban on the use of chemical fertilizers. As a result, many families are unable to bear the costs of feeding and educating their children. This project takes place in the mission of Talawakelle, in the central region of Sri Lanka. It is a poor and marginalized area where most people work in the tea plantations. The plantation community is the most disadvantaged in Sri Lanka due to the total negligence of the governments and the submissive nature of the community.
Project description
Many families struggle to meet their daily expenses and this has a very negative impact on their children. It has been observed that the academic performance of students at St. Patrick's College, Talawakelle has declined drastically due to the insufficient nutrition they receive at home.
Children attending mainstream schools require additional educational assistance for the following reasons:
- Children do not have adequate space at home to study.
- Parents are not educated enough to help their children and many of them are not present because they have migrated to other countries.
- Children are often left alone and as a result, they spend most of their time watching television or playing games without concentrating on their studies.
For the above reasons and to help the children in their studies, we have organized after-school activities in different centers in tea gardens, where most of the children live. In addition to helping the children in their studies and in completing their schoolwork, recreational activities are also organized to facilitate learning. Children are provided with a kit of educational materials and, to meet the needs of families regarding a nutritional food program, they are also offered a snack during the afternoon activities.
Objective
- To improve the academic performance of children at St. Patrick College
Beneficiaries
Direct: approximately 100 children in the 4th, 5th and 6th classes of St. Patrick College
Indirect: families and society
Referent sister of the project: Sr. Agnese Elli
Project's costs