The Humpty Dumpty Institute has launched a new on-line campaign “Wishing Well Sri Lanka” (www.wishingwellsrilanka.org) to promote and raise funds for a series of new initiatives in northern Sri Lanka that will provide fresh water and improve sanitary conditions to over 10,000 people in the districts of Mannar, Killinochchi and Mullaithivu.  We are also seeking additional support for our well-known school feeding program in Velanai, Jaffna District. 

I urge you to visit www.wishingwellsrilanka.org and be as generous as you can.  You can contribute as little as $5 to this worthy cause.  Since the end of the 30-year conflict in 2009, hundreds of thousands of Sri Lankans have been streaming back to their original homes all over northern Sri Lanka.  The Government is doing its best to absorb this returning population, but these people are facing tremendous challenges.  Simply put, there is no infrastructure.  Thirty years of violence and neglect has devastated the Northern Districts.  Live minefields still pose a serious threat to life and limb.  Homes have to be rebuilt. There is very little fresh water for drinking, bathing or farming since all of the wells are in disrepair. There are no toilets and the risk of life-threatening disease is very real.  And new roads have to be laid.

With HDI’s “Wishing Well Sri Lanka” program, we are starting off in a relatively small way by building and repairing 230 communal and domestic wells and 100 new latrines.  As we continue to raise funds through our on-line campaign, we will increase the number of wells and latrines we repair and build and hopefully expand our target area to other districts as well.  Please join hands with HDI and help kickstart our new initiative by visiting www.wishingwellsrilanka.org and making a generous contribution.  Many thanks.

Best wishes for a happy and healthy holiday season.

Ralph L. Cwerman

President