A family including four children was discovered in a vulnerable state in Kataragama recently.
They eagerly await the return of their mother who had gone to Saudi Arabia to work as a domestic helper in the hope of saving enough money to build a home.
The mother, identified as H.M. Chamila Dilrukshi, left the country in April through a private agency. However, it has come to light that she has not received employment or any wages. Distressed by this injustice, the husband reported the matter to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, only to be informed that he would need to pay Rs. 300,000 to facilitate her repatriation.
The burden of raising four children has fallen solely on the husband, who is struggling to make ends meet while residing in precarious rented accommodations. Regrettably, due to the family’s economic hardships, three of the children, all girls, aged 13, 12, and 8, have been forced to discontinue their education, abandoning their studies at Sella Kataragama Maha Vidyalaya.
The youngest member of the family, a 4-year-old boy, also shares in their precarious living conditions.
Given the unstable and unsafe environment in which these children reside, urgent intervention from the Child Protection Authority is imperative. The children earnestly appeal to the government for assistance in locating and expediting the return of their mother to Sri Lanka without delay.