A century of service by Sri Lankadhara

By a Committee Member

The Sri Lankadhara Society Ltd., founded in 1922, one of the oldest voluntary humanitarian organizations in the country, has reached its centenary milestone in dedicated service to the disadvantaged and the deserving in Sri Lanka.

Te society was founded by the late Dr. W.A. de Silva and his wife Catherine, initially with the intention of providing care and shelter to destitute and needy Buddhist girls and womenfolk during the colonial era. This included training in productive skills needed for their future lives. Subsequently the Society has expanded its services, to establish a preschool for under privileged children and a day care for elders as well.

Dr. de Silva was a multifaceted personality, being a member of the legislative council for 16 years and Government Minister for six years, a government veterinary surgeon, a practical agriculturalist being a proprietor planter, well known philanthropist, Buddhist revivalist, and editor, publisher and owner of several newspapers. These were publications on Buddhism and the language, literature and culture of Sinhalese. In addition to being a patriot and a freedom fighter. his contribution to nationalist struggle during latter colonial era left an indelible impression on sociopolitical, religious and cultural life of the nation.

His meritorious deeds became a reality due to unstinted support he received from his devoted wife, Catherine. This remarkable lady, Muthuthanthrige Catherine de Silva, a daughter of Mudliyar Simon Fernando Sri Chandrasekera of Moratuwa, inherited a great fortune which was disbursed generously on her husband’s crusade of serving the nation, religion and downtrodden masses.

To perpetuate his vision of uplifting the downtrodden and neglected womenfolk of the nation, Dr. de Silva bequeathed a newly built mansion on several acres of prime land, with modern facilities situated at 95, W.A. Silva Mawatha, Wellawatta. This mansion presently houses the Sri Lankadhara Society Ltd., an approved charity, being the first social service organization established by the benevolent couple Dr. and Mrs. W.A. de Silva.

The establishment of Sri Lankadhara Society itself is viewed as an extension of Dr. de Silva’s avowed mission to build a modern sovereign nation. As their first task they established the Sri Lankadhara Girls Home at their own expense.The objectives of the Sri Lankadhara Society, as envisaged by the founders a century ago were:

Promotion of education among girls and women Provision of a home for destitute children, and Maintaining of institutions for training girls and women in suitable industries.The founder President of the Sri Lankadhara Society was Mrs. de Silva and under her guidance a Women’s Training College was established on the premises in 1929 serving those who have studied in Sinhala medium. A day school, then known as Wellawatta Buddhist Girls School, was built on their property adjoining the Lankadhara Home. This was attended by the resident girls of Lankadhara Home in addition to others. Past records indicate the school was managed by Mrs. de Silva herself and cost of salaries of school teachers and staff of the home were borne by the Society until Government took it over as an assisted school.

From the inception, Sri Lankadhara Society has been managed by an elected committee of women, purely on a voluntary basis, consisting the President, Vice President, Joint Secretaries, Joint Treasurers and Committee members. Since then, the Society under the guidance of successive committees has expanded its humanitarian services and tried to emulate the ideals envisioned by the founders. The services of the Society now encompass: –

Balika Home

Infants’ Home

Senior Citizens Home

A Pre-school

The Elders Daycare Center, which functioned from 1991, to provide rest and recreation for neighborhood communities was discontinued on medical advice, with the commencement of the prevailing viral pandemic.

Residents of Balika Home and Infants’ Home are girls entrusted to the Sri Lankadhara Society either by the Department of Probation and Childcare Services or by Juvenile courts. There are 50 residents (senior and junior girls) at present. These girls are mostly from unsettled homes, either abandoned, orphaned, victimized and also children of drugs/alcohol addicts. Some parents have been unable to provide for their children due to extreme poverty or incurable illness.

These children entrusted to the Society are extremely traumatized, have faced all manners of challenges and require special care and attention. A fulltime staff of five have been employed by the Society for day-to-day management of the Girls (Balika) Home and has been ranked in the Grade A category by the Department of Probation and Childcare Services.

These girls are cared for by the resident staff of the Girls Home, to help them get over their past traumatic and stressful lives by providing them a secure, stable and a caring environment. They are provided with proper food and nourishment, medical assistance and clothes. They are also provided educational facilities at adjoining St. Clare’s Girls School up to GCE Advanced Level.

The school curriculum is supplemented by external tutors, employed by the Society, in subjects such as spoken English, mathematics, computer skills, vocational training, in addition to aesthetic pursuits like art, music and dancing. The Home’s dance troupe has performed at events organized by the Department of Probation and Childcare Services.

Over the years these students have shown much promise both in academic pursuits and sport. A student qualified to enter university and four students qualified to become dental nursing assistants, recently. Several girls have shown leadership abilities at school and have been selected as prefects. They attend regular Sunday Dhamma School at the Vijayarama temple and Dharmodaya Pirivena in Wellawatta. At present 30 girls are resident in the Girls Home.

In 2000, the Society embarked upon a sponsorship programme for resident girls, where funds received from sponsors were credited to the savings account of girls selected for sponsorship. When these girls are required to vacate the Home, after maturity, these funds in their savings accounts will at least provide some financial stability for their future. This will partly help to fulfill vision of the founders, to rehabilitate needy youth in our society and guide them to be self-reliant, independent and responsible citizen.

Further expanding its humanitarian services, Sri Lankadhara Society established a Senior Citizen’s Home in 1967 and at present provides care and shelter to 18 elderly ladies. Most of these elders have been assigned to the Society by the Department of Social Services. These elders, mostly from disadvantaged homes and often neglected by their families are provided with comfortable accommodation, nutritious meals, clothing, medical attention and recreational facilities. Even when they pass away, the funeral arrangements with proper religious rituals are undertaken by the Society.

A fulltime staff of five have been employed by the Society for day-to-day management of the Senior Citizen’s Home.

The infants’ home of Sri Lankadhara Society, which opened in 1971 originally accommodated both male and female children below five years age. In recent years the number of infants directed by Department of Probation and Chidcare Services to Sri Lankadhara Society’s care has diminished and the infants’ Home, presently referred to as the junior section of the Girls Home, houses children of the age group of two to 10 years. At present 15 junior girls are resident in the junior section of the Girls Home. A full time staff of three and a daily cleaner have been employed for day-to-day operation of the junior section of the Girls Home.

The Sri Lankadhara Society, ventured to open a pre-school and a day care center for children below five years, in 1980. Children, both boys and girls, are accommodated from underprivileged and poor neighborhood communities. The preschool operates kindergarten classes providing a safe and caring environment enabling quality education and child care at almost no cost to them. It functions between 8.00 am and 1.00 pm on weekdays and the children are also provided education material. At present 25 children of different ethnicity attend the preschool, supervised by a qualified teacher and two assistants.

The Elders Day-Care Center was the most recent addition in 1991. The old and feeble from underprivileged neighborhood communities, those lacking care and supervision during daytime, were accommodated in the Center from 8.00 am until 4.00 pm on weekdays. They were provided with breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and sometimes even dinner. Based on individual needs medicines, vitamins and nutrition supplements were also provided.

They spent their time participating in indoor recreational activities, watching TV, gardening, cleaning, sweeping or assisting in cooking. Unfortunately, accommodating elders at the center was discontinued on medical advice, with the commencement of the prevailing viral pandemic. The Society looks forward to caring for them once again.

It has been a challenging task for the Society to maintain its high standards over the years. The allowance provided by the government for the care of infants and girls is meager in this era of inflation making te provision of even basic necessities a difficult task. To overcome this crisis, the Society has constantly sought and received donations in cash and kind from generous individuals, institutions, mercantile sector and social service-oriented organizations. The Society takes this opportunity to gratefully acknowledge all such generous benefactors who have supported this humanitarian venture from its inception.Your contribution no doubt will help us provide a better tomorrow to our community of junior and senior girls and elders who need attention and assistance.