UNIQUE GIRLS PILOT PROGRAM
In February 2021 we started the Unique Girls Program for female care leavers.The pilot batch of the Unique Girls remained stationed at the Simply Unique Centre due to the island wide travel restrictions; however, our staff and teachers from the Foundation of Goodness quickly converted to online training so the Unique Girls could continue their coursework and graduated on July 7th 2021. (Note: after the pilot batch this project is on hold, 2022)
Silvia's Children's Home
Starting in 1991, the foundation Silvia's Kinderhilfe was running a registered orphanage in Hikkaduwa for more than 24 years.
Soon after the foundation started, it became clear to the founder couple Silvia and Rino Sommer that most of the children placed in the care of the foundation were not orphans. 80% of the children had a living parent but were abandoned mostly because of socioeconomic problems.
Thus the foundation started to support children of single mothers, and in a few cases as well children with fathers unable to work due to sickness or disability.
The so-called Family Help Program was growing steadily, in parallel to the children home. After the Tsunami the foundation reached out to help children in the Hambanthota area as well.
In 2015 the decision was made, to close down the children home and to use the financial resources available for projects outside institutional care. Currently the foundation supports approx. 350 children in the Southern Province, Uva Province and Central Province with micro scholarships. In addition, the foundation is granting student scholarships for higher education.