With the invitation of CCCI in February 2021, five women religious congregations came together to explore and study the possibilities of initiating the child care reform of women religious in Sri Lanka. This is the initial opportunity that the women religious gained to think, plan and initiate together to develop the child Care ministry of the women religious in Sri Lanka. It was a great challenge to visualise and march together on an unknown and less travelled road in caring for children who are in need of support and love.
The continuous discussion, the strong pillars and the conviction of the CCCI, the inspiring motivational sharing with experiences by the CCCI Family of Uganda, Kenya, Zambia and Malavi and the opportunities given by the GHR foundation, helped us to reduce our confusion and made our path clearer and enkindle a passion within us to move towards care reform. All these supports helped us to realise that care reform is possible and workable and its impact is more effective for a social change.
Being focussed, clear and in the appropriate journey, we the five religious congregations’ eager to carry this message of care reform to the other women religious congregations and journey together to make this spark of the mission of CCCSL to glow. This will lead to provide the best care for children while strengthening and enabling the families to take care of their children in a loving and healthy environment.
Having a profound Goal, “Women Religious are champions in reforming Child Care sector in Sri Lanka creating families and family like care with loving, healthy and protective environment.” The five congregations initiated its work with an inauguration programme from 27th to 29th January 2023, with the purpose of creating a platform to strengthen the family bond of CCCSL and made ourselves clearer about the way forward of CCCSL journey by calling for a greater collaboration and partnership.
Some of the key topics focused on the discussion were; Impact on Institutionalization Care on Children, Global Trends in caring for children and the Department of Probation – Sri Lanka. Sr. Niluka, Coordinator for CCCI and Sr. Delvin Mukhwana, Project Manager for CCCK graced the event by contributing their expertise. At the end of the gathering we felt that it was a call of today for women religious in Sri Lanka.
We experienced how the Lord of the poor and friend of the weak journeyed and guided us in this initiatives and we are confident that CCCSL mission is a respond to the sign of the time of today. This mission has a great scope in reaching out to many children who are in need of support and many more families who need assistance to have a loving, healthy and protective environment for the better growth of their children.
