ORCHARD aims to bring children's homes under one administration

[TamilNet, Monday, 25 April 2005, 10:20 GMT]
Organization for Restructuring Children Homes And (their) Rehabilitation and Development (ORCHARD), an arm of the Tamil Rehabilitation Organization (TRO) in the northeast province held its second annual general meeting in Trincomalee Anbu Illam hall Saturday with Rev.Fr.Francis Xavier, President of the ORCHARD in the chair, sources said. Mr.R.Sampanthan, Trincomalee district parliamentarian and the leader of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) was the chief guest.



Ms Subashini Chitravelu, legal advisor lighting the traditional oil lamp

Rev.Fr Francis Joseph

"ORCHARD was founded in November last year to bring all children homes in the province to be brought under one wing. At that time only five children homes, which are located in the districts of Killinochchi and Mullaitivu, were registered with the ORCHARD, which held its first annual general meeting in Killinochchi on December 6 last year. The number of children homes registered with the ORCHARD increased to eighteen with thirteen homes from the east joined it," said Rev.Fr.Francis Xavier.

The objective of the ORCHARD is to nuture children with sound education and life skills thus ensuring prosperous future for them, he added.

We should first respect the rights of children and to make others to follow. Every home sheltering children should discharge its duties and responsibilities towards this goal, Fr.Francis Joseph stressed.

ORCHARD Director Mr.Ravi

Mr.Sampanthan said large number of children in the northeast have been badly affected by war and recent tsunami disaster. Lives of those children should be restored to normalcy through concerted effort of authorities concerned, he said.

Representatives of eighteen Children Homes in the northeast registered with the ORCHARD participated in the meeting. The breakdown of children homes district wise follows: Batticaloa-10, Amparai-01, Trincomalee-02, Killinochchi-02 and Mullativu-03. About two thousand children, most of them have lost their parents in the two decade old war and recent tsunami are sheltered in these homes.

Mr.Ravi, Director of ORCHARD said that in addition to food, shelter and clothes proper education should be provided to children. Management of children homes should give more emphasis in this regard.

Ms Sithithevi Pathmanathan, Head of the Trincomalee Anbu Illam made the welcome address.

ORCHARD at the conclusion of its annual general meeting resolved to improve the conditions of the children homes and to provide more facilities to children to pursue their education, sources said.



(L-R) Ms Subashini Chitravelu, Ms Sithithevi Pathmanathan (speaking), Fr.Francis Jospeh, Mr.Sampanthan and Mr.Ravi