PULOLY CHILDREN'SVILLAGE - A HAVEN FOR WAR AFFECTED DISADVANTAGED CHILDREN INCLUDING ORPHANS AND DISABLED CHILDREN

PCV

Gods Own Children Foundation administers and manages a Mega Children's Residential Facility named Puloly Children's Village, for War affected Children of the Vanni. This Children's Facility is situated in Ubhayakathirgamam in Puloly South in Vadamaradchi. Currently, Puloly Children's Village now accommodates 160 Children - 90 Girls and 70 boys. Puloly Children's Village is able to accommodate up to 200 Children, however, due to lack of Funds for maintenance, we have temporarily halted our programme to absorb more Children.

We have identified more Disadvantaged Children to admit to PCV, and as soon as we have sufficient funds we will accommodate these Children too. Thanks to the generous support provided by Donors and Well Wishers, we have been providing all these Children with Shelter, Food, Loving Care, Clothing, Medical Care and Educational Support . There are many Differently Able among the Children. Almost all of the Children are traumatized and have Shell Shrapnels (External Bodies) in their Body. We are providing them with Counseling too. Most of the Children have seen their loved ones die or get maimed for life, in front of their own eyes. ALL THESE CHILDREN ESCAPED THE HUMAN TRAGEDY IN MULLIVAIKKAL AND PUTHUMATHTHALAN. Many Children displayed Symptoms of Depression at the Initial Stages. Children screaming in the night, running to hide under a table or bed at the slightest noise such as a cracker, toileting in bed by the older children, complaining of pains all over the body, are some of the symptoms that were displayed by the Children. However, the Children are very happy, and have been participating in many extracurricular activities both at School and within the PCV compound. The Children are very talented and many have excellent skills in Music, Drama, Dance, Art and other activities. All of the Children have missed National Standard Schooling over the past 4 years, and they are lagging behind their Jaffna Counterparts, and their Term Reports indicate this reality. However, we are not deterred, and have arranged Special Tuition during the Holidays and regular In House Tuition thereafter. We are convinced that these bright Children will excel in their studies from next term. We have also resettled 5 Young War Widows and 3 Disabled Adult Girls in PCV.

BACKGROUND TO THE FORMATION OF PULOLY CHILDREN’S VILLAGE

The Civil War between the Government of Sri Lanka and the Tamil Tigers came to a climax in 2009. More than 300,000 Civilians were the most affected, being caught in between intermittent crossfire. The result was, more than 300,000 people of the Vanni ended up as Internally Displaced Persons (IDP’s) in Sri Lanka government sponsored Welfare Villages in Menik Farm, Chettikulam,Vavuniya.
A majority of the affected people were Women and Children. It was very obvious that a generation of Children were going to be affected. Their education had been hampered since 2006 , and there was yet no solution in sight to the educational dreams of the Children or a complete end to the misery and agony of thousands of Women and Children
Like similar Social Service oriented organizations of its kind, Gods Own Children Foundation too, was committed to implementing a program to help facilitate the Educational Dreams of 200 Differently Able and Disadvantaged IDP Children languishing in the Welfare Villages.
Our application and request to the authorities was heeded, and GOCF began to lay the Foundation for the Educational Development of a Minimum of 200 displaced, Differently Able and Disadvantaged Children of both sexes , from the Welfare Villages in Chettikulam, Vavuniya.

PULOLY CHILDRENS VILLAGE - THE CONCEPT AND DREAM

Our appeal to Donors was heeded by a closely knit Canadian Diaspora group, hailing originally from Ubhayakathirgamam, Puloly, and Jaffna, who offered to provide their houses in Puloly, Vadamaradchi, Jaffna on long lease to provide residential facilities to the IDP Children that GOCF proposed to takeover into its custody. As a result of the offer by the Diaspora members, we were required to embark upon repairs and preparation of a Cluster of adjacent Houses in Ubhayakathirgamam, Puloly, and convert the entire compound into a Mini Children’s Village by removing the fences separating the houses. There are adequate Play Areas, and we needed to build more Toilets including Specialized Toilets for Disabled Children. This Facility could accommodate 200 Children. The Puloly Facility is being expanded, since many other expatriates who have houses around the Children's Village have also pledged their houses to the cause of the IDP CHILDREN. The Puloly Facility is very near to many Government Schools. The Education Authorities in Vadamaradchi have supported PULOLY CHILDREN'S VILLAGE by aidmtting our Children to the nearby Government Schools. such as Puloly MMV , Putralai  MMV , and Vada Hindu Girls High School , for those children who are able to travel and attend any of these schools.For those children who are unable to attend school, due to their severe disabled condition, we have arranged Tuition within the Children's Village Compound. The Manthigai Government Hospital is also 300 meters away, and it would be very easy to rush a Child to the hospital in an emergency. The Vallipuram Aalwar Vishnu Temple, a Catholic Church, a Methodist Church, a Pentecost Church - are located within close proximity to the Children’s Village.

Provide Ongoing

We will ensure that all children adhere to high standards of personal hygiene, and that they are provided with clothing, a nutritious diet, a safe and comfortable place to sleep and medical care. Each child will receive individual care and attention to their physical and emotional needs

Provide Training & Education

We will facilitate the education of each child at the neighboring primary school. All children will receive extra
Lessons for each subject from our staff and volunteers, and will be encouraged to express themselves through art, music, dance & sports

Uphold High Standards

Through an innovative internal monitoring mechanism , staff, volunteers and the local community will uphold high standards

THE GOCF DREAM COMES TRUE

The PULOLY CHILDREN'S VILLAGE , in Uthayakathiragamam , Puloly South , Vadamaradchi , Jaffna , will not be an Institution – it will be a Family which provides every Child with the Love and Care that they have so far been denied.

We will give all the impoverished and unfortunate Children of this Village the fun and enriching childhood they deserve, and we will send them out into the world as young adults ready to prosper.