'They are my joy': Meet the children living in Sri Lanka care homes established by Irish volunteers and donations

Irish Examiner

4 days ago

'One day, I'd like to play for the Irish cricket team, I'd like to see Ireland, a place that I have heard so much about, a place that I love,' 17-year-old Kavindu* said from inside the Arklow Boys Home, based in Negombo, Sri Lanka.
Kavindu is one of 32 boys living in the home that was established by Irish volunteers and donations after the 2004 tsunami that saw hundreds of children displaced, lose their parents and their homes.
Set up by Fine Gael TD for Wicklow-Wexford Brian Brennan, the homes have now evolved, with new ones opening in the 20 years since. Named after the town or county that helped fund them - including Cork, Kildare, and Wexford - in total there are now six such homes.
It's not just a space for these children to live in, but also a chance for them to continue their education, to play cricket, and express themselves through music, art and other sports as well.
In 2004, the St Stephen's Day tsunami saw 31,229 people die and more than 4,000 go missing. Mr Brennan – who was a hotelier at the time - wanted to help, and was able to raise €25,000 with the aid of his community to buy a bus to help move these kids to homes.
After visiting Sri Lanka, he ended up ringing the community to say "We should buy land" and ended up building homes for the children who needed it. According to Mr Brennan, there are currently 172 children in the care of the homes.
'I ring them every day,' he said. 'They call me Uncle Brennan, they call Malika amma, and they are my joy. When my mother passed, and she was buried, they were watching it live and keeping in touch.
'And then they had a pizza party later, which is what my mother would have wanted them to have. She was heavily involved with all the work that I was doing in Sri Lanka.'
The Wexford-Wicklow TD said the whole goal of these homes is to give these children 'a chance in life'.
The Arklow Boys Home
The Irish Examiner visited the Arklow Boys Home in May.
The children waited patiently as we pulled in. The amma (mother) of the home greeted us with a smile as she took us into the home. One side of the main hall was filled with trophies that the boys had brought home after winning track meets or cricket matches.
On the other side of the room the boys gathered around with a few instruments – an accordion, a trumpet and a big drum as they played a rendition of the Irish national anthem. The young boys donned their Wexford GAA jerseys and held their hurleys with pride.
Malika, the amma of the house, spoke with pride of the children who have come and gone from the home.
'Some of these boys have been here since they were only a few months old. A lot of the time, these children have a difficult situation at home or are wards of the court,' Malika said.
'Sometimes they have also been witnesses to serious crimes and need a safe place to stay until they can provide their witness statement.'
Mr Brennan said: "There is one boy currently living in one of the homes who came in when he was young. He had just witnessed his mother being burned to death by her second partner.'
Some of the boys from the Arklow Boys Home wearing their GAA jerseys.
'The boy had never met his father before, and when he came in here first, he did not speak to anyone for six days.
'It was only after the other boys nudged him to play cricket, to have a bit of fun, that he started to speak again and enjoy life. Now, he is doing really well and is excelling.'
Mr Brennan said these children have 'gone through a lot'. 'They're getting the best care here, it's not perfect, but by god, they are in a far better position,' he added.
Some of these children do not know their own birthdays, but have been given a day they can celebrate as their own.
'I am currently doing my A-Levels,' Tisara* said. 'I would like to come to Ireland at some point and work in tech. But I also love art and would like to become a tattoo artist on the side as well.
'I love cricket as well, it is the one thing that makes me so happy, and I love bowling and trying to hit the wickets.'
On the other side of the home's main hall the boys gathered around with a few instruments – an accordion, a trumpet and a big drum as they played a rendition of the Irish national anthem.
Down below from the house where they sleep, eat and study, is a massive green pitch. The older boys play, calling out the runs as they go and keeping an eye out for wicket breaks.
The younger boys try to sneak into the games of the older boys to catch a glimpse of how they play, and are always welcomed in.
After leaving Arklow Boys Home, some of the children who spent time there have secure jobs. A few now work as police officers, are in high senior positions within the Sri Lankan army, or work in well-respected jobs in large companies. Some have moved abroad to continue their education or work abroad.
'They are exceptionally talented,' Malika said. 'Even though they have had a difficult struggle in their life, it does not stop them from seeing the good and seeing what is out there for them.
'They have incredibly massive dreams, and I know they will excel.'
'One of the boys, Shehan*, was a runner and was into running. One time, he decided that he wanted to run the marathon, and when he went to the start line I noticed he did not have any running shoes. He was barefoot," Mr Brennan said.
'I asked him, 'Why are you running 14k without any shoes?' He said 'I've been training barefoot, why should I wear shoes to run this'.
And at the end of it, at the end of the marathon, I was following him on the motorcycle, and what do I see, tuk-tuks and cameras following this one barefoot boy, and he won the race.
'And when he came back home, all the boys in the house lifted him and his trophy up in joy and excitement. The boy now works for one of the top finance firms in Sri Lanka,' he said.
Malika said that the children she has looked after in her years as a caregiver are still in contact with her and still call her amma. 'They bring me great joy, and I am so happy to see them doing really well,' she added.
Cork Girls Home
A 15-minute drive from the Arklow Boys Home lies the Cork Girls Home, which shares the same grounds as a Catholic convent.
Similarly to the boys' home, many of the girls living here do not have a mother or a father; some have guardians, some choose to live in the home.
A parents' day ceremony is usually held here once a year, and sometimes some parents do not show up, according to the nun who runs the home, Sister Augustine.
A flat rate of 3000 rupees (€8) a month is paid in respect towards each girl. However, sometimes not all of them can give that money. The fee is then put towards the girls' food, any necessary items and board.
'A lot of these girls come from broken families, and they definitely carry on the trauma of that,' Sr Augustine said.
Many of the girls living at Cork Girls Home in Negombo do not have a mother or a father; some have guardians, some choose to live in the home.
'Some have the dream to visit Ireland, some are just hoping that one day they can see their mothers or fathers again, some just want to do really well in school, or some just want to continue singing or dancing – they are very talented.'
14-year-old Irena, originally from Puttalam – a four-hour drive from the girls' home, said she has only been at the home for a year. Her dream is to visit Korea and meet K-Pop supergroup BTS.
However, eight-year-old Andrea has been at the home for over three years. She said her mother left for Canada to work and support herself, her two sisters and her brothers.
'I miss my mam,' she said. 'I will get to see her in November, she will come here and she will bring cake and we will have a good time.'
Kavindi, 14, came to the home when she was nine years old. Originally from Peliyagoda in the Colombo district, she had been living with her mother, father and younger brother.
A classroom in the Cork Girls Home in Negombo.
'Dad is an alcoholic, and things weren't looking good at home,' she said.
'It came to the point where we left our home, and mam was living in a hostel with my brother and me. I then told my mam that it would be better if I stayed in a home and she stayed with my younger brother,' Kavindi said.
Her mother and younger brother are still living in a hostel together. 'I want to do education at university, hopefully and become a teacher and teach nursery,' she added. 'I just want to be happy, to help, and hopefully find a better living,' Kavindi added.
For Sewmini, her dream is to one day go abroad to Germany, get a degree, get a job, contribute to society and maybe stay there. Being the oldest in the home, the 20-year-old said that it did not stop her from having incredible friendships with the other girls.
Originally from Ja-Ela, not too far from home, Sewmini said she has been living in the home for over 11 years. She is currently looking to re-sit her A-Levels at the end of the year.
Pursuing their dreams
Mr Brennan said these children, after leaving broken homes, need a space to continue their education and their dreams.
'They all want to play cricket for Sri Lanka, but usually when they turn 14, 15, we talk about with them what it is they want and we bring about the idea of getting a job, going into college, but also to pursue their dreams.
'There was one boy who said he did not like school but enjoyed farming. So we bought him €100 worth of chickens to look after, and sure now, he owns 1,500 chicken farms in Sri Lanka.
'And the boys in the home, whenever they see him come in to visit with his big motorcycle, and they wonder, 'How did the boy who hated school get in this position now?''
* Names have been changed to protect the identity of the children