Children of Kedella Respite Therapeutic Centre celebrate New Year

The children of ‘Kedella’, the respite therapeutic centre (RTC) for survivors of child sexual abuse run by LEADS, celebrated the Sinhala and Tamil New Year recently with a talent show and exhibition. The event was graced by the presence of Chandima Dissanayake, the Western Province Commissioner of the Department of Probation and Child Care Services, LEADS CEO Roshan Mendis, the staff and volunteers who were involved in helping the children and a few well-wishers.

The event was a platform for the children to showcase their various talents. The day started with the children participating gleefully at their talent show – singing, dancing, acting, announcing and playing musical instruments, it was the culmination of weeks of practice and hard-work put in by the children as well as the staff. It was a pleasant surprise to the audience when the children sang a song that they themselves had written which spoke of their gratitude towards ‘Kedella’. Thereafter an exhibition that displayed the creative and artistic side of the children portrayed during their semester at ‘Kedella’ was opened for display.

Like the audience who immensely enjoyed the show, the children too were surprised with a common birthday celebration to rejoice the birthdays of all the children who didn’t get a chance to celebrate during their stay, among them were some children who have never had the opportunity to celebrate their birthday or receive a wrapped gift ever before.

Although the guests returned home after the main event the rest of the day was filled with excitement and laughter as the young ones participated in a series of New Year games organised by the ‘Kedella’ staff, including a lime and spoon race, placing the eye on the elephant, passing the water balloon and many more.