Home of Joy, wattala (Sri Lanka)

On December 26, 2004, Sri Lanka was the shield that protected India from the deadly waves of the Tsunami, the worse natural catastrophy of the known mankind history. In Sri Lanka, the second-most affected country (after Indonesia), 49.000 people died, 440.000 lost their homes, some 108.000 houses were destroyed, and the worse railway accident of the history happened, with near to 2.000 lost human lifes.

Some villages were literally erased, without leaving witnesses.

Although the effect of the Tsunami did last only a few minutes, the recovery of the affected areas are very slow, and despite all efforts of official and non-governmental organizations it will take over ten years to recover from this catastrophy. Amongst those that could save their lifes, some did lose all their relatives, their home and their belongings, and are now totally helpless.

We did take in a group of orphans, and have allocated them in “The Home of Joy”, a house that we did build in Wattala, Sri Lanka, where we try to give them human warmth and take care of them as well as possible, although we will never be able to replace their parents. But it is always better to kindle a small candle than to curse the darkness.

With the aim to raise funds for “The Home of Joy”, we did perform an Exhibition of Art Works by four Generations of an Artists family at the National Art Gallery, Colombo, on January 28 and 29, 2006, as well as a Guitar Concert and Art Exhibition by three Generations of the same family at the Missionary Institute de Mill Hill, London, from August 4 to 6, 2006, and now at the Illustrious Official Medical Council in Málaga, with the same aim.

<<< "... in "The Home of Joy", [...] we try to give them human warmth and take care of them as well as possible, although we will never be able to replace their parents." >>>

Today, also you have the possibility to participate by buying a picture, thus contributing to this noble cause.

K N Lakmal Peiris, MD, PhD

NGO N° WSB 48, Sri Lanka