SOS Children’s Villages, Sri Lanka celebrates World Children’s Day

In celebration of World Children’s Day, SOS Children’s Villages, Sri Lanka (SOSVSL), an organisation which provides alternative care for children who have lost parental support and children at risk of losing parental upkeep, continued to make children their main focus during the festivities.

SOS Children’s Villages, Sri Lanka came together to include the children from six SOS Villages island-wide to celebrate Children’s Day with a host of activities and entertainment. 

SOS Children’s Villages, Sri Lanka National Director Ananda Karunarathne stated: “Childhood is about family, joy and security and we are humbled by the support we have received to provide these children with a second chance of being part of a family. However, we continue to urge individuals in Sri Lanka and abroad to come forward and donate towards a cause that offers children in need a family and a childhood that they so deserve. Our children join the millions of children around the world in celebrating Children’s Day. At SOS Children’s Villages, children grow up in the loving care of a mother and siblings, in a stable family environment and are supported until they become independent young adults. Caring for our youth leaving our care continues as we provide a lifelong relationship and bonding in a family. We have been serving Sri Lanka for over 36 years with six children’s villages located in Piliyandala, Galle, Nuwara Eliya, Anuradhapura, Monaragala and Jaffna, family strengthening programs in these locations as well as in Gandara, Peraliya and Malawi and three vocational training centres in Moneragala, Malpotha and Anuradhapura. We have cared for over 41,000 children since 1981.” 

Children’s Day celebrations saw a day of entertainment which included song, dance, speech and fun at the SOS Village in Galle in the presence of Chief Guest Parliamentarian Wijepala Hettiarachchi. 

The children from the SOS Village in Monaragala were hosted to a cricket match and a scrumptious dinner provided by the Buttala Army Camp. Furthermore, eight children from the SOS Village in Anuradhapura participated in a national function held by the Probation Department which also included a visit to the zoo for all the children. 

Teambuilding activities were held for the children at the SOS Village in Piliyandala with the support of the Child Welfare Department and the Attorney General’s office. Each child was given gift packs from NDB Bank.