I trust this finds you well despite the very difficult times we live in with the COVID pandemic affecting us all in various different ways. 

 

While COVID is a global pandemic which is no respecter of persons, it has had a particularly devastating effect on those who live on daily wages in developing countries. In Sri Lanka, where a large proportion of the population rely on daily wages, and given the absence of any social security or government subsidies, the loss of a daily-wages breadwinner to COVID has very significant impacts on the surviving spouse and children. The report at the below link estimates that there are approximately 1500 children who have lost one or both parent/s as a result of COVID in Sri Lanka and the numbers are on the rise:

 

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/downloads/community/orphanhood-report.pdf

 

Against this background, I am writing to you as a supporter of HON projects over the years to seek your assistance for families who are struggling for an existence due to the loss of their breadwinner. To this end, we are partnering with Child Action Lanka, an organisation we have worked with over the years, to provide emergency relief. We are aiming to assist as many families as we can for three months while Child Action Lanka looks into ways in which the surviving spouse can be helped to establish a viable income generating avenue. Our aim is to provide $50 per month per family for the next three months. You may wish to adopt a family for a month for $50 or for the three months for $150, or perhaps you can help more than one family or make a one-off donation of whatever amount you are able to donate to this cause.

 

Any donation you make will be tax deductible as it will fall within the emergency relief category for tax deductible purposes. As such, please make your donations to the below account marked "SL covid emergency relief" and we will provide you with tax deductibility for the 2021/2022 tax year. 

 

Account Name: CCC Carlingford Trust Fund

BSB 062-320

Account 1027 1528

 

Please feel free to contact me should you require more information. We can also organise a zoom meeting with Child Action Lanka, if you would like more information about this emergency relief project.

 

Thanking you and many blessings for the blessing you are in this time of need.

 

 

Sharminie Niles

Chairperson, Help Orphans Now

 

1 September 2021