In the face of the severe economic crisis that struck Sri Lanka in 2022, families found themselves grappling with shortages of essential items and the daunting task of providing adequate meals for their children.
SOS Children’s Villages UK provided direct support through the Family Strengthening Programme in Nuwara Eliya, offering a lifeline to 165 families affected by the crisis.
Ayomi, a determined 37-year-old mother of three from a small village in Sri Lanka, faced a future filled with challenges when the economic crisis that followed the pandemic struck her family. With a husband who didn’t work and an unstable tailoring business, Ayomi struggled to provide for her three children and make ends meet.
As the crisis worsened, Ayomi’s tailoring business dried up, and her husband’s alcohol addiction and often abusive behaviour added to the family’s troubles. Unable to cope, Ayomi was advised to hand over her children to the government. That’s when SOS Children’s Villages in Sri Lanka stepped in, providing much-needed support to keep the family together.
“I got lots of support from SOS [Children’s Villages]. I am here, in this position today because of SOS [Children’s Villages]. If not, I was honestly fed up with life. I was advised to hand over my children to probation.”
The Family Strengthening Programme helped cover the family’s rent and supported the education of Ayomi’s two older children.
Despite her challenges, Ayomi found a job in a garment factory, and began bringing in a small salary. Unfortunately, she had to sell her sewing machine due to their economic hardship. She is grateful for the support that SOS Children’s Villages was able to provide to her family and knows that she may have had to give up her children without the help she received.
Ayomi’s wish is to regain the ability to work from home and care for her children simultaneously. Through the consistent support of the SOS Children’s Villages Family Strengthening Programme, Ayomi remains hopeful in the face of adversity.
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“I got lots of support from SOS [Children’s Villages]. I am here, in this position today because of SOS [Children’s Villages]. If not, I was honestly fed up with life. I was advised to hand over my children to probation.”
