1725295268243

Senehasa Autism Center

1725295268281

The project was born from the idea of ​​Rev. Banthe Anuruddha, a Theravada Buddhist monk from Sri Lanka living in Italy and from his good heart to help poor Sri Lankan children and young people with autism spectrum.

Senehasa is a Sinhalese word that in Italian means the affection that a mother feels for her children.

IMG-20240916-WA0000 Thanks to the love of Mr. Achala Diwakara and Mrs. Anula Perera who donated the land for the project, a school will be built in the center of the city of Colombo, in Battaramulla, surrounded by rice fields and nature.

The school will be a welcoming place that intends to offer programs to facilitate social reintegration and improve the psycho-physical well-being of the most disadvantaged. A structure that will be able to host children and young people free of charge, helping them to take care of themselves for basic actions such as eating, cleaning and dressing and will offer specialized courses to help psychomotor recoordination and integration.

In Sri Lanka there is still no adequate screening of the population regarding autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and this is not considered by public health as primary care. Many families are in difficulty and do not have the possibility of paying for the support and care that their children would need to live a dignified life.

Senehasa Autism Center aims to offer concrete help through a virtuous network of human beings united by the desire to make available time, resources and professionalism for a noble purpose.

Together we can build a home school!
Together we can be the change!

 

Where are we at?

The land is there and also the project! Now we are in the phase where what is only an idea can become reality.
We need to start building and we will do it starting from the foundations and the first floor in which there will be the reception services, kitchen, laundry, bathrooms, bedrooms, internal room and porch for the children's activities.

To start we must reach the first goal € 24,760 for the clearing and preparation of the area, construction of the foundations and the first floor that will be equipped with the basic structures to start the activities

The action plan for the next few years is structured as follows:

FASE 1 | 2024->2025

  • Fundraising €24,760
  • Start of construction work on
    the first floor with basic services
    (reception area, multipurpose
    room, porch, kitchen, bathrooms,
    rooms for volunteers, laundry)

FASE 2 | 2026->2028

  • Start courses and activities of
    the center
  • Financing and construction
    of the 2nd and 3rd floors
    (male and female dormitories
    for children and teenagers,
    bathrooms, rooms for volunteers
    and B&B, meditation and yoga
    room)

 FASE 3 | From 2029

  • Launch of all activities with the
    possibility of hosting groups
  • Organization, maintenance and
    expansion of the staff of
    specialists and volunteers

 

PHASE 1
Build the center with us!

donate
  SUPPORT THE PROJECT 

United Sri Lanka Foundation

Bank: Intesa San Paolo S.p.a

IBAN: IT07 J030 6909 6061 0000 0405 838

BIC: BCITITMM 

 

Autism in Sri Lanka

Autism is a developmental disorder with symptoms that appear within the first three years of life. Its formal diagnostic name is autism spectrum disorder. The word "spectrum" indicates that autism manifests itself in different forms with varying levels of severity. This means that each individual with autism experiences their own unique strengths, symptoms, and challenges.

Many children have difficulty socializing, communicating, and forming lasting relationships. This leads to emotional distress, social isolation, loneliness, and depression, making social inclusion as well as daily life difficult. Children with autism spectrum disorders may not be able to play alone or pursue studies at a level consistent with their age, especially if they have significant difficulty using speech. In addition, numerous studies show that autism leads to the development of habits and repetitive stimulation that are difficult to break, especially if they continue into adulthood.

A recent study among Sri Lankan parents of children with autism, published in the Sri Lanka Journal of Child Health in March 2021, highlights common experiences of emotional distress, fear, worry about the child’s future, grief, and problematic marital relationships. Parents reported feeling overwhelmed by increased financial and caregiving responsibilities, especially in combination with poor awareness, understanding of autism, and external support.

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