Swami Natarajananda Boys' Home, Sittandi

Boy at Natarajananda

Boys at Natarajananda

Staff and boys at Natarajananda Institute

32 Boys ages 7-22

The Natarajananda Institute was founded on the 11th of June 1993. A non-political organization, its stated objective was to care for poor children, who had lost a parent or indeed had been orphaned because of the ethnic conflict. It is registered under the Voluntary Social Service Organization and is a registered children orphanage under section 11 of the Orphanage Ordinance.

At present there are 32 boys at the home, aged between 7 and 22. S. Deveraj, the institute's founder, would like to take more boys but there is simply not enough space, nor, for that matter, money. That said the land adjacent to the home is unoccupied, and so, given the requisite funds, there is the potential for growth. The home as it stands today, is poor and the grounds are small, but the space has been well utilized and the boys grow their own vegetables. The boys sleep and study in the same room. To care for the children there is one matron and one chef. At night there is no adult supervision; night security is left to the older boys.

The home's needs and requests are basic. At present they have only one working toilet. The second toilet needs a new septic tank, and is not currently in use. So too the boys require a new water tank. Cooking is done on an open hearth, the gas cooker is in need of repair. There is one well which the boys use for washing and bathing, and no mains water taps.

In addition the Institute lacks such basic amenities as common almirahs, fans and a telephone, nor do they have a sufficient nunber of tools for agriculture, straw mats and pillows for sleeping, kitchen utensils, bags and copy books for school.

This is not to forget the home's most pressing need, for constant funds merely to feed its 25 inmates.

S. Devaraj, in his submission of the home's grievances, encourages you to regard the "expenses of these little ones, not as a loss, but as a human investment towards the social development of a nation". He asks for your "kind contribution and co-operation in installing a sense of awakening in the minds of these innocent and unfortunate children".

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