We started working at the home in Panadura last November. For every piece of jewelry the girls make, $0.25 of the sales money goes into the Community Fund for their home. Through this fund, girls design their own community projects. As of this month, the girls had about $71 (7,739 rupees) to spend on their community project.
Iroshini and I have been working with the girls on their community fund during the last few weeks. It was very interesting to hear the ideas they generated. Some of the ideas included: purchasing of books, flower pots for the shelter, a radio, first aid box, musical instruments, curtaining, a pond, a prayer room, sports equipment, cupboards for their rooms, and a wall clock.
After discussing the options in small groups, the girls voted on their favorite three options. Many of them voted for a DVD player for the orphanage. They had loads of DVDs they had received as gifts, but didn’t have a DVD player to watch them. The second place option was sports equipment and the third was to share a meal with an elder’s home.
With the money the girls collected we were able to get them the DVD player. The orphanage has a basketball net and we are happy that Emerge Headquarters had received a donation of a basketball which we were able to present to the girls. With the left over money, the girls decided that they would cook a meal and take it to an Elders home. We thought it was an amazing idea.
The girls were so excited the morning they had planned to cook the meal for the elders. They all joined in washing, cleaning and cutting the vegetables, the meats and greens. The lady in the kitchen who normally prepares the meals for the girls helped them prepare it and put on the condiments. By 11 a.m., all the food was packed and ready for delivery.
The girls personally delivered the food
packets to the elderly ladies. The elders were so grateful for this wonderful gesture and they enjoyed the meals that the girls had prepared. Thank you speeches and a prayer of thanks giving to the girls were given by elders and the girls in turn were so happy that they were appreciated for this kind gesture.