Saturday Sep 20, 2025
Saturday Sep 20, 2025
Wednesday, 10 September 2025 04:17 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
The Roshan Mahanama Trust (RMT) inaugurated the second Lama Piyasa of Sri Lanka, a refuge for abused children, in Galle on 26 August. This critically important social initiative is a joint collaboration between RMT, Sri Lanka College of Paediatricians and the National Hospital of Galle. The opening ceremony was attended by distinguished guests including Health Ministry Secretary, Health Ministry Director General, RMT Chairman Roshan Mahanama and its trustees, key donors and representatives from the Sri Lanka College of Paediatricians.
The very first Lama Piyasa of Sri Lanka was established in Ragama in 2015, founded by the Child Protection committee of the Sri Lanka College of Paediatricians as a safe haven offering refuge, recovery, healing and hope for children recovering from all forms of abuse and trauma. These centres are equipped with an environment dedicated to striving toward a child’s safety, providing immediate post trauma support and facilitating a comprehensive psychosocial rehabilitation to enable a smooth re-integration to society. This project, with an investment of nearly Rs. 120 million, will see the Sri Lanka Army generously committing to the construction of the new facility in Galle.
RMT Chairperson Roshan Mahanama said, “The expansion of Lama Piyasa to Galle underscores a collective effort to protect vulnerable children and promote their well-being. Building on this success, we are now preparing to establish a third Lama Piyasa in the Northern Province, with land already identified in Jaffna. Our aim is to eventually cover all nine provinces of Sri Lanka as conceptualised and proposed by the members of the Child Protection Committee of the Sri Lanka College of Paediatricians as an essential step toward ensuring that every child in need has access to a safe and nurturing environment. Preliminary statistics for 2024 indicate over 6,000 reported cases of violence against children, though final figures may vary, a stark reminder of the urgency of this mission.”
Being true to the “We promise” philosophy of the RMT, this initiative exemplifies the trust’s commitment to safeguarding our future generations through collaborative action and dedicated service.
