Sponsor an Orphan or Poverty-Stricken Child


The Canada Sri Lanka Life Development Centre (CSLDC) is a recognized, non-profit organization incorporated with the Governments Canada and Sri Lanka. Since it’s inception in 1997 this Foundation has provided for much of the needs in the poverty-stricken children in Sri Lanka. Managed by a Trust that is responsible for the operation and utilization of funds, the objective of this Foundation is to provide monetary and non-monetary assistance and services to improve the living standards of marginalized people.

Needless to say how many children have been lost, affected, displaced due to widespread poverty, negligence, abuses, etc in the society. These children are seeking your help and support mainly for their education. To improve the agonizing conditions of those children we have set up the Scholarship Project to award scholarships that will help them to continue their schooling in better circumstances.

What are the criteria to be selected as a scholarship recipient?

The local Staff of CSLDC officially select children who meet the required criteria and who are under special circumstances to be awarded scholarships to support both their living standards and schooling. First priority goes to the children who are of above average intelligence and talented who have lost their (both) parents, due to poverty or some other reason(s); secondly, the children who are of above intelligence and who are children of single parents unable to make ends meet. Next in order, are the children of above average intelligence and talented whose parents though living are in dire poverty helpless.

However, in relation to all children who fulfill above criteria, genuine documentation is deemed to be an essential requirement. This documentation must be approved and certified by the three members of a local independent selection committee who are not members of the CSLDC. The Committee comprises the Principal of the child’s school, a high standing government official in the area, and an eminent member of the clergy in the area. Once the documentation has been established, CSLDC local staff members visit the children in their own or foster homes in person to make sure their circumstances to determine that these children indeed are the right scholarship recipients.

According to the prevailing custom in these remote areas in the society, it is the village priest who is also the typical social worker. It is the priest who is invariably the expert who is knowledgeable about the families and the conditions of the children deserving help. By virtue of his respectable standing in the community it is he who is the guide and the counselor.

These scholarships will afford them a bright & prosperous future and prepare them to take their due place in the society as good citizens. Those of us living here in Canada are in a very good position to effect the above transformation and positive change! We can help by way of providing necessary school material and basic requisites of living in many ways according to ones own wishes and means.

How much does a scholarship cost?

Donating an affordable amount of $ 20/- per month you can sponsor a child who is orphan / needy / helpless / poverty-stricken, and affected by the recent tsunami. It is a very significant beginning to lend a hand to a child to stand up on his/her own feet and feel normal among other children in society. Please consider this a duty of humanity one can perform to ones fellow humans! Do not miss out on the rich rewards full participation in this project will bring you! You will indeed be blessed both spiritually and materially!

How you can select a child?

So you have an option to select a child depending on your choice and interest. The child can be a boy or a girl, a toddler, a teen or a student entering university. If you have no particular choice, we will be able to pick a child on your behalf alphabetically from our list to start the process.

What happens after you sponsor a child?

Once you sponsor a child we will provide you all the relevant information regarding the sponsored. Once you receive the information package regarding your sponsored child you are totally free with no obligation to freely correspond with your own ‘child’ in writing, visiting or communicating in any manner you choose! You can send gifts or whatever and establish and grow in a mutually satisfying and supportive relationship!

I am also glad to encourage you to write to your sponsored child and for you to feel and gain the enormous sense of sympathetic joy, happiness and loving thoughts through these exchanges! Then it would be hard to deny the personal satisfaction you would feel deep in your heart and tears of joy that you may experience being a foster care parent.

Precaution Ensuring Integrity and Transparency: Each child is required to present himself/herself at the nearest branch (temple) at the beginning of each month to show his/her tuition-card in order prove that he/she is studying and sign a declaration before the priest to get his / her monthly portion of money. Since children have no access to bank accounts (under eighteen) we do not deposit money directly into children’s accounts, as it is not practical. Parents or caretakers, therefore, have no access whatsoever to use children’s money for personal use.

Transfer of Funds: We transfer our Canadian funds through Western Union end of the each month and the recipient will receive money through the agency of the director in the branch. Our administration fee is zero (0) but we have to cover the expenses such as paperwork, communications and maintenance. In addition, we transfer a very small portion of monies received to the orphanage project construction and nursery programme, which are linked to the scholarship program in many ways and are totally dependent on public generosity.

Are there other ways to support the children?

Yes! Of course! If you are willing to support the less privileged children in general, materially or financially, with out making a firm commitment or pledge by occasional donations such as school material (pens, pencils, erasers, scissors, books, crayons, glue, math boxes, coloring pencils, toys, etc. or basic needs (cloth for uniform, school shoes, back-packs, etc.) or financial aid, you are most welcome to do so!

For further information please feel free to contact Rev. W. Pannasara, at (905) 454 - 6649, wsara123@yahoo.com, Canada Sri Lanka Life Development Centre, 800 Olde Base Line Rd, Terra Cotta, ON L7C 0H9, Canada.

Yours in the service of humanity & Dhamma,

Director of Child Affairs’/ CSLDC

“Helpless children will never forget that it was you who made the
BIG DIFFERENCE in their lives”.