6 children with mother and father ... on top of Ambuluwawa mountain, devoid of human habitat

6 children with mother and father ... on top of Ambuluwawa mountain, devoid of human habitat

We came across a helpless family living in a wattle and daub house with six small children on top of a mountain in a forest area with no human habitat. They happen to live in Gampola, Ambuluwawa. They thus live on top of a mountain which provides access to a mountain situated in front of a complex bio-diversity area of Ambuluwawa. 

Prior to 2016, garbage was disposed to the top of this mountain by Gampola municipal council and one can track this  small dwelling which is erected along the route cut to transport this garbage.  With
that garbage mountain caught in a landslide, garbage being dumped into that area has come to a halt and by now that route has been covered with a jungle for four years. One comes across this house of wattle and daub covered with polythene sheets. 

Though three of the six children here are of schoolgoing age, they have still not gone to a government school as such. Politicians and government officers who talk about eliminating poverty have not even provided them with the samurdhi facility and not taken steps to provide a few basic facilities either, it is learned. Somasiri Chithrangani who lives here is a Sinhala national while her husband S. Mahendra Kumar is of Tamil nationality. The two of them had got together after a romance and had lived in a property at Gampola, Ambuluwawa by looking after it. However, since that landowner had said that he wanted to sell the land, this family has left the place has thus come to this government-owned plot of land, they said. The family still live here though government officers and various others pressurized them, they said. 

The eldest child in this family is Sanjeewa of 13 years, Pavithra aged 11 and Sanjeewa aged 9 years. Other than the three of them, there are three other boys aged 4 years, 3 and one year ... and it is noticeable that all of them are in a malnourished state. Though the three children of schoolgoing age have no school, the mother and father have taken steps to hand them over to a church close to Gampola town to learn to read and write. The mother says that though her son should be in the 7th year, as there is no such class in this church ... the children are taught in a common manner. 

Mahendra Kumar makes an effort to earn something daily by doing some labour-work and Chithrangani says that with such a meagre sum of money it is not sufficient to feed the six children. As there is no bed or table in this house, the children sleep on the clay ground. It then is a sorrowful state to understand these parents strive so much to protect the children from animals such as reptiles and pigs. A heavy blowing is prevalent in this locality and they have to face severe difficulties during the rainy season. What Chithrangani says is that it would be enough if they could get a house or land to keep the children safe. The location where this family lives belongs to Gampola, Singhapitiya North grama nildhari division and the lady grama niladhari there,  Mrs. K.A.D.K. Gajanayaka  had this to say: "It's only a short time since I came to this division. During that period I have been trying to solve the problems this family is facing. In this connection I have received instructions from secretary of provincial council. These children even don't have birth certificates. Even the last child has been delivered at home. I took steps even to prepare birth certificates for them. Now names of 4 children have been included in the birth certificates. In the meantime, the Mp Mr. Anuruddha Jayaratna promised to give a piece of land at the foot of Ambuluwawa. If so ... a house also could be build there. 

An inquiry was made in this connection Mrs.Thushari Tennakoon, provincial secretary of Gampola Udapalatha and she replied, "We came to know about this family with children. This mother and father have not married. Sometime back they were called to appear at the mobile service held in Gampola and were married. As these children do not have a school, we have spoken to the education director. The aforesaid mobile service was conducted Mp Mr. Anuradha Lanka Jayaratna, of provincial development committee. He discussed about problems related to this family. In the process, Mahendra Kumara was offered a labour-job at Ambuluwawa complex. Whatever it is, if anybody who desires merit would think of giving a helping hand to the future of this helpless family with children it would no doubt be an aid to the future of these small children. For this purpose .. one could come and give support as they do not have a bank account.