Background

Sri Lanka Orphanage Foundation was founded immediately after the tsunami on 26 December 2004. A telephone request for help from a befriended Sri Lankan doctor brought Marja van Leeuwen into action by bringing medication to the severely damaged southern part of Sri Lanka. Upon return in the Netherlands Marja took the decision to assist in relieving the suffering of the affected children in Sri Lanka.

The fundraising began, a board was formed, relief goods shipped and a team of 300 volunteers came to give professional assistance. In Sri Lanka collaboration was started with a partner organization and 25,000 m2 of land was made available by the wealthy Saparamadu family. One hundred days after the disaster the Somawathi Home opened its doors and the first children were handed over by the child protection. Now approx. 130 children are living permanently in the Somawathi Home at least until their 18th year.

In the meantime, since the start beginning of 2005, Sri Lanka Orphanage Foundation has become a professional organisation with the ANBI status and CBF quality label for charities.
For the statutes of the foundation (in Dutch only) click here