Emergency Aid
These homes face a constant struggle to feed those they care for.
Emergency Aid
Homes for the Disabled in the Eastern Province
In August 2022 Brighter Path organised a relief project for three residential homes in the greater Polonarruwa area. Two of the homes, Arunalu and Parakum Uyana, provide accommodation for mentally and physically disabled young men. A third, Minihiri, provides accommodation for mentally and physically disabled young women – many of whom suffered sexual abuse during the violent civil war. This was an area with a lot of fighting. These residential homes have traditionally survived on support from the local community. However, the combination of the pandemic and the long running economic crisis with sky high inflation and mass unemployment has had a significant impact. As a result these homes face a constant struggle to feed those they care for.
The logistical challenges of a distribution project like this are significant. In the current economic crisis fuel has been in short supply and is heavily rationed. Brighter Path staff had to queue at petrol stations (in shifts) for several days just to obtain enough fuel to enable us to make the return journey from Colombo to Polonarruwa.
We took a van full of dried goods – rice, lentils, chickpeas, dried fish, flour, soya, tea, onions and spices – as well as cleaning products and personal hygiene essentials. These supplies are not a long-term solution but provide a much needed boost to the homes which are essential to their survival in times of great hardship.
Further Reading

Covid-19 Response
The Covid-19 pandemic has highlighted many of the difficulties care leavers around the world struggle with on a daily basis: housing, finance, health care, social support, employment, nutrition and hygiene. …

With the UN in Nuwara Eliya
Two Brighter Path care leavers were invited to take part in a UN Development Programme audit of disabled facilities in Nuwara Eliya, a large town in the tea country of …

Kathmandu Alternative Care Conference
The 5th Biennial Conference on Alternative Care for Children in Asia was held over two days in September 2023 in Kathmandu, Nepal. Hundreds of representatives attended from across the globe …