Children are the future of a country. Caring for the younger generation - materially, emotionally and spiritually - is one of the supreme duties of adults towards society.

Murugesu Armugam was born in Demodara, Sri Lanka. The only boy in his family, Murugesu has two elder sisters. Murugesu's father (after whom he was named) passed away while Murugesu was very young and this death plunged the family into tremendous financial difficulty. Although an exceptionally clever student, Murugesu was forced to abandon his education at Grade seven, as the wages earned by his mother were insufficient to sustain the entire family.

Having no money to buy his books, clothes and other educational requirements, the academic potential of this talented young boy was thwarted. Extreme poverty snatched Murugesu's childhood away from him, compelling him to shoulder the burden of being the family's bread-winner at the tender age of 12 years.

Murugesu is just one among countless numbers of young boys in the estate sector of Sri Lanka who are deprived of their childhood. These boys face tremendous hardships, both mental and physical, as they strive to survive.

The Chandra Illam orphanage in Badulla, to be opened on the 14th of January 2005, aims to ease the burden of at least some of these young boys, by taking them under their wing and caring for them.

The Chandra Illam is a home for orphan boys between the ages of six and 12 years and has the capacity to care for a maximum of 30 young boys. For these boys the orphanage will ensure much more than just a roof above their heads and food to sustain them and they will receive a sound education that will equip them to face the world as they mature into men.

All the children will be sent to school, where they will both learn the regular curriculum and mingle with all other types of children, helping them to become better integrated into society. Additionally, talents will be harnessed through special classes in music, Bharatha Natyam and the like. These extra-curricular classes will be conducted by special teachers sourced by the management of the orphanage. In an age where information technology is the driving force of life, the children will also be introduced to the wonderful world of computers at the local computer education institute.

Chandra Illam is managed and run by the Social Aid Foundation, which is a service arm of the Agriculture and Plantation Workers' Congress, while the home's patrons are Abooda. R M Krishnasamy, in his capacity as chairman of the Congress, will also be at the helm of the management of the orphanage. Having chaired the Congress for a period of twenty years and having worked as a Justice of the Peace for almost an equal period of time, Krishnasamy carries with him a wealth of experience in the field of social service.

At a more specialized level, he has been actively involved in the welfare of orphans for around five years. According to Krishnasamy, one of the biggest advantages of working through the Congress is that it has no political affiliations and is willing to reach out to all segments of society, with absolutely no discrimination. He stated that the orphanage will house boys who have lost either one or both parents.

Children are left orphan in the estate sector due to many social and political factors. The country's protracted ethnic war, fought mainly in the north and east of the island, has resulted in thousands of children losing their parents. Further, a large number of job-related accidents in the estates have proved fatal, leaving children with no adults to take care of them. The salary received by plantation workers is minimal and often insufficient for the upkeep of the entire family. In such a context, children are compelled to stop their education and begin work in order to boost the family income.

The Social Aid Foundation has already set up an orphanage for girls in Badulla - The London Sri Kanagathurkai Amman. However, a home specially dedicated to the upbringing of young boys has been a need for a few years now. The situation of orphan boys in the plantation sector is miserable, to say the least. As was the case with Murugesu, when a family loses either one or both parents, the responsibility of looking after the siblings falls on the boys, who have to give up their schooling and start earning. Even in instances where orphans are taken in by guardians, they receive no schooling, but end up working as domestics in the house of their guardians.

Due to the lack of proper centres to protect orphans, many boys roam the streets eventually becoming juvenile delinquents. As street children, these boys are quick to latch on to many undesirable habits, including alcohol and narcotic addiction, stealing and committing crimes in order to sustain their habits. Because most orphan boys are deprived of even a primary education, as adults they are unemployable and so remain in the margins of society. The lack of a solid family background means these boys undergo severe mental trauma.

Chandra Illam will strive to ease the wretched plight of orphan boys in Badulla. At Chandra Illam, the boys will have a place they can call home - a place where their material and emotional needs will be seen to. The home aims to create well-rounded personalities, by providing good nutrition, proper education, and a suitable environment for the mind and spirit to grow.

The upkeep of each boy at Chandra Illam is estimated to cost around Rs 3,000 per month.

If you wish to make a contribution, please contact Vijay Kumar on 0044 7866 552 518 or write to R M Krishnasamy at 45, Mahiyangana Road, Badulla, Sri Lanka. Remember that even the smallest gesture can and will make a difference.