We are dedicated to providing educational support to students with physical disabilities in Sri Lanka. With your help, we can give these students the opportunity they deserve.
The Challenge
1. Work
With almost 30% of Sri Lanka's workforce employed in agriculture, it tends to be hard for differently-abled individuals to find stable employment because of their disability
2. Play
Physical disability can prevent students from participating in extracurriculars, barring them from exploring their passions and interests
3. School
Specialized transportation to go to and from school can be expensive, and sometimes it becomes impossible for families to afford the travel cost while trying to put food on the table
In addition, physical disability tends to be stigmatized in Sri Lanka due to religious beliefs surrounding congenital disorders. Children born with physical disability are considered to have bad karma, as a result of mistakes made in the past life. The disability is their cross to bear throughout this lifetime, and can be the source of ridicule and mockery. In fear, some parents will pull their child from school and shelter him/her at home, offering safety at the cost of the young student's intellectual and emotional development.
Meet Sithum
