Hard Times are now turned into Times of Hope

My name is Sumudu, I am 12 years old and have one brother who is younger to me. My memory is of my father as a drunkard who treated us all very badly. I remember my mother always being worried about how to meet our daily needs. My father has taken away the happiness I had with my mother and my younger brother.

I have been sick and spent a lot of time in bed before doctors told us I have Epilepsy. I had a rough idea about my sickness that it would kill me. I was always miserable and not interested in school or making friends.

One day a man from an NGO came to visit us and because he was concerned he took me to hospital for testing and then paid for my medications. He visited me in 2012 and that was the beginning of a great change in my life. 'Uncle' talked to me for a long time and told me that the sickness I had can be managed with having medicine on time. He also convinced me to go back to school. I had told him about children teasing me with my weakness in studies and being a sick child.

Also I would like to tell you that the mobilizer ‘Aunty’ (NGO Community Facilitator) and the leaders of my community who selected my family and me, really take good care of me - I am a sponsored child! Now I am taking medicine from Colombo general hospital and as a result of vocational training skills my mother has received from the NGO, my parents are able to bear the cost for my medicines.

Sumudu's Mum, Wasanthi, was born in a typical poverty stricken family in the tea plantation region of southern Sri Lanka.

I got married to Saman who was a farmer and we have two children together. My husband used to spend his earnings on alcohol, he was addicted, and he was violent. Because of this I and my children faced lots of financial difficulties in our daily lives.

I had started working as a labourer in the tea plantations, and was earning about Rs. 300 (AUD 2.50) a day for my family.

I was selected by the Community leaders to take part in workshops where a number of women and mothers were trained in tea cultivation and management. When I graduated, (2010) from this course I was given 2,500 tea bushes, worth about Rs. 30,000 (AUD 250). Today I am able to harvest leaves from my own plants! I am able to earn Rs. 12,000 (AUD 100.00) per month from this harvest.

Also we had no proper house to live in and a pit latrine which was not safe. But with help we have a good water-sealed latrine and with the community support we have built our house to the roof level.

My achievements, and my family’s increased income is because of the training and guidance from the NGO and the labor support received from the community.  Little by little my husband also changed his life and now he is farming and working to increase our tea harvest. Also the best thing is now he stopped getting alcohol and we are free from fears.

Thank you for all that you've done. Hard times are now turned into times of hope. We have managed this and continue to develop because of your help. I like to give my heartiest thanks to the NGO and the sponsors who support our development.