Manikkavasagar Boys Home

 Due to circumstances beyond their control, their dreams were shattered leaving them with little hope and a bleak and uncertain future. We need to understand their plight and give them back their lives... their opportunities… and most of all their dreams for a better, brighter tomorrow…

Batticaloa, situated in the east coast of Sri Lanka, has a population of over 500,000 people. It is a bustling town where fishing and agriculture are the main sources of income.

But the people of Batticaloa have had to constantly weather the torments of a protracted civil war,,.. the anguish of poverty… and the ravages of nature… from cyclones to tsunamis.
These man-made and natural disasters have left countless numbers displaced and destitute, the children being the most affected.

The Manikkavasagar Home for Boys was set up to provide for these displaced children and give them hope for a better future and a will to survive. The Home is situated about 20 kilo meters from the Batticaloa city center, in a town called Santhively.

Since its inception in 1993 with just twelve children, the Home has grown to accommodate over fifty boys today. The Home provides these children with basic amenities such as food and clothing along with the security of having a place to call their own.

While some of these children are orphans, the others are there due to severe financial hardships faced by their impoverished families. There are several more boys on a waiting list to enter this home, but due to a lack of space it is impossible to accommodate further children.

This Boys’ Home consists of a small house which has just two rooms, a kitchen and two toilets, which are grossly inadequate to accommodate the requirements of fifty boys.

They have their meals, study and sleep within this small area and due to a severe lack of space some of them are forced to study in the sun outdoors.

The little furniture that there is, lies in a very poor state. There are no beds, tables or chairs and the boys are compelled to eat and sleep on the floor as a result. If one of them fall ill they run the risk of spreading the infection as the place is heavily congested with no provision for a sick room.

All meals for the inmates are prepared at the Home itself. The kitchen staff along with the children, prepare the meals in this kitchen which is also in a very bad state.

The existing sanitary facilities are insufficient. There are just two toilets for the fifty boys, which has resulted in long queues causing a delay in getting to school in the morning.

All these shortcomings have helped aggravate the plight of these innocent children. With these harsh conditions however, the children have remained strong and resilient. They study hard amidst these difficulties, and some of them excel in such activities as sports and music. The overall instability in the area however is not conducive to their proper mental growth and wellbeing and prevents them from fully developing their potential.

As such it is essential that we create an environment that best suits the welfare of these children. An environment in which they can develop their talents in and someday make a meaningful contribution to society.

It is with this in mind that the Manitha Neyam Trust decided to help the Manikkavasager Home for Boys.

With the help of the Manitha Neyam Trust in the UK, we initiated efforts to build a new hostel complex at a cost of US$ 60,000/-. It is a fully equipped building where the children need to simply move in upon completion. We have already commenced construction with the funds received but require a further 40,000 dollars to complete this work.

The building is being constructed on a five acre land with a floor area of 4,500 square feet. Consisting of six rooms and four toilets this building will accommodate forty students.

There are several children on a waiting list to enter this Home, of whom more than thirty are in urgent need of help. With this in mind the Trust hopes to construct two more buildings at a similar cost to accommodate these children.

The Trust is also making arrangements for vocational training facilities related to the industrial sector. This is aimed at students who have passed their advanced level examination. We also intend setting-up a Computer Lab equipped with ten Computers.

You too can make a difference in their lives by contributing towards the construction expenses, funding or equipment for vocational training or sports activities, or funding part of the monthly expenses of US$1,500/- to US$2,000/o

Our urgent attention is required to help these children in their hour of need. Better facilities will vastly improve their overall living standards at the Manikkavasagar Boys Home, giving them hope and strength to keep their dreams alive.