Hiru Organizations
An overview of HIRU Activities and projects
Our Projects
Together with our colleagues at MedAcross, we are forming a strong partnership to further develop the project by joining forces and enhancing its long-term impact!
MedAcross Onlus | Hiru Organizations
— The Girls' Village – Ibbawale (near Weligama), Sri Lanka
HIRU has chosen to support the Girls’ Village in In Ibbawale (near Weligama), a humanitarian project that began in 2004, following the devastating tsunami that struck the southern coast of Sri Lanka. In response to the emergency, Specchio dei Tempiinitiated the construction of a village to provide healthcare assistance to affected families. Over the years, the project evolved into a shelter dedicated to girls who are victims of abuse or abandonment, in collaboration with the Matara Court.
Today, the Village is a safe haven where young girls can grow up in a protected, peaceful, and nurturing environment. Welcomed from early childhood, the girls are supported until they reach adulthood through an educational and developmental path that focuses on their well-being and future independence. Life in the village is deeply rooted in Buddhist culture, with local monks actively involved in daily management and in constant dialogue with MedAcross, the Turin-based NGO currently running the project. This model of care and support has already transformed the lives of dozens of girls, and continues to do so thanks to the commitment of those, like HIRU, who believe in a fairer and more inclusive future for all.
MedAcross Onlus | Hiru Organizations
— The Orphanage – The Matara Orphanage: a shelter for children in need
Just a few kilometres from the Girls’ Village in Kekanadura lies the Oba Mama Boys’ Orphanage. Founded in 1990 by a Japanese foundation, the orphanage was supported by this organisation until funding was suddenly withdrawn in 2018.
The facility houses up to 25 children who have been entrusted to the care of the Matara Court until they reach the age of 18. These children are either orphans or have been abandoned by their families. Many of them come from the streets and have disabilities, and many grow up in extreme poverty, living in makeshift shelters between fields or under tin roofs.
The boys are cared for by four rotating assistants and attend the local school until the age of 15. After this, they undertake two years of vocational training in Matara to prepare them for independent life.
The orphanage operates under the mandate of local courts and collaborates closely with Buddhist monks from the Oba Mama Association, who oversee daily activities. The structure is basic and poorly equipped, and is currently inadequate to meet the needs of the growing number of children.
In Matara, MedAcross continues to support this project with dedication, ensuring continuity and providing practical assistance to this vulnerable yet vital initiative. This initiative fully reflects HIRU’s mission to provide every child with a safe and welcoming environment, as well as real opportunities for the future.
Burkina Faso | Banfora
— All Children Foundation
Consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud. Exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat duis aute irure.
Benin | Cotonou
— The Children’s Foundation
Elit sed do eiusmod incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud. Exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat.
Burundi | Bujumbura
— Where Children Come First
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud. Exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip.
How we are going to support these projects ?
For these projects, HIRU’s first wish is to be able to offer support through English lessons. In Sri Lanka, unfortunately, English language teaching is still very much lacking, despite the fact that it represents a fundamental skill for expanding the future job opportunities of these children/young.
Sri Lanka is also a country where tourism is growing strongly, and with it also accommodation facilities such as restaurants and hotels. Sectors that, in the future, could offer real employment opportunities to young people who are still completing their schooling today.
What we are going to support:
– Two local, locally selected English teachers;
– Three lessons per week for each of the two groups of children (Girls’ Village and Matara Orphanage);
– Teachers’ transport from their homes to the reception centres.
This intervention represents a first concrete step to offer children and young people useful tools to build a future with more opportunities.
Partner with us > Do you have an organization, a business, or skills you’d like to share? Get in touch — we can build new initiatives together.