Dear club members, dear other club supporters,
I know that many of you have been waiting for some time for information on the current situation in Sri Lanka from the perspective of the ‘Rosenkinder’. Unfortunately, I was out of the country for a few weeks, but of course I remained informed. Now, however, I can ‘finally’ provide you with information on the current situation in Sri Lanka following the aftermath of Cyclone Ditwah, which caused flooding and landslides at the end of November. The news reported over 600 deaths and a further 200 people missing. Countless families were left homeless, but in fact millions of people were affected by the storm. Thanks to our direct contacts with the Lions Club, among others, I was kept up to date on the local impact and the consequences for our various project activities in the country. In short, from today’s perspective, we and our projects got off lightly. Our projects/homes/hostels were not directly affected. Only at the girls’ children’s home in Balapitiya did a tree fall over, but without further consequences. A circular email to our 73 sponsored children has revealed that some students living away from home were temporarily unable to return to their hometowns. There was no need for immediate assistance for them. However, all schoolchildren in Sri Lanka were generally affected because the government declared special holidays, which only ended on 16 December 2025.
The board of ‘Rosenkinder’ immediately made sufficient funds available to the Lions Club for emergency aid from our local project budget. Thanks to numerous additional donations to our Lions Club from around the world, these funds are still available. The pictures in the attached member information show that immediate aid was provided.
In fact, at yesterday’s final board meeting for 2025, the board of ‘Rosenkinder’ specifically expanded this disaster budget to include our projects. During our upcoming trip to Sri Lanka in February 2026, we will of course visit all of our projects and meet all of our sponsored children. We will individually assess the situation, particularly with regard to our sponsored children and their families. If necessary, there will be extended emergency aid in the form of one-off payments to the children and families for verifiable damage caused by the cyclone. So, the ‘Rosenkinder’ will respond and are ready to provide extraordinary help. As always, immediately, directly and transparently.
It is customary during this ‘contemplative’ season to make many appeals for donations. Who doesn’t receive them? We don’t usually do this. But in this special situation, which has affected us particularly deeply, you are welcome to show your solidarity and possibly participate in our planned special campaign. Our bank details are as follows:
- VR Bank in Holstein eG – IBAN DE37 2219 1405 0040 4284 00
For more information on the status and some current events in our projects, see below:
Current project “Rosenkinder” Sponsorship in cooperation with the Lions Club Aluthgama/Bentota
As previously mentioned, we hope that our current 73 sponsored children and their families have weathered the cyclone and flooding well. Everything else will become clear in due course, and help will then be provided. We will have the opportunity to inquire about the families’ concerns on 22 February 2026 at the temple in Kotapola and on 1 March 2026 in the Briefgarden, in addition to the usual check on school and university attendance. We will then have a budget for quick and uncomplicated emergency aid at our disposal. Some of you may remember an emergency situation in Kotapola many years ago. Pathumi’s house with her siblings was destroyed by a landslide. At that time, we donated a new house to the family through a special appeal for donations, which was met with some difficulties. I hope that something on this scale will not be necessary at present, but some of the families’ basic equipment will certainly have been damaged by storms and flooding. We are particularly looking forward to seeing our sponsored children, who have successfully completed their schooling or studies this year.
Current project special education at the Anula Wijerama Children Home in Balapitiya in cooperation with the All Ceylon Buddhist Congress (ACBC)
The general situation in this project, caused by changes in the committee in Balapitiya and also among the volunteers responsible at ACBC this year, has now been resolved. At least we were able to talk to the older girls via ZOOM in November about their educational or professional development, as planned. Asitha, as project manager in the Balapitiya committee, has continued in her role as our main contact person to our satisfaction, and the new ACBC chairman for all children’s homes also joined our digital meeting. Even the ACBC president himself was there briefly. Such formalities are certainly important alongside the actual desired direct contact with the girls. However, there is currently something else very pleasing to report. Our Anula Wijerama Children’s Home in Balapitiya has been honoured as the best children’s home in the region by the Central Probation Office Sri Lanka South (state child protection authority). It is wonderful that we have been able to follow this development for over 20 years and have certainly contributed ‘a little’ to the honour with our broad support. For quite some time now, we have observed that the Probation Office has been specifically transferring talented girls, as well as girls with special needs, from other homes to Balapitiya to receive our special support. There are currently 29 girls aged 7 to 18 in the home. Everyone is already looking forward to our member Petra Gerlings returning to the home at the beginning of the year. This time, Petra is coming with her friend and member Ursel Kramer. In today’s pictures – the award ceremony. But also a picture of our member Ariane Miller surrounded by the Balapitiya girls. Ariane combined her holiday in Balapitiya in November with direct contact with the home and concrete personal help on site. There were two new windows and fresh food.
Children Home for blind and deaf-mute Children in Mahaweewa in cooperation with the All Ceylon Buddhist Congress (ACBC)
There is also a lot going on in Mahaweewa. Our member Melanie Bierut is or was there again. Unfortunately, this year’s conditions were particularly difficult. Her flight was scheduled for early December, followed by her 14-day assignment. At the end of November, there was an environmental disaster that also affected Mahaweewa. What to do? Melanie set off on her journey! However, the government had announced a nationwide disaster holiday. This ended on 14 December 2025. Of course, this also affected the special school in Mahaweewa. We learned that around 15 children remained at the boarding school despite the closure of the school because they were unable to return to their parents due to flooding or other consequences of the cyclone. Melanie began her 14-day support mission for the ‘Rosenkinder’ on site, which ends today. The children who had stayed behind were there, and all the other 80 or so children returned at the end of the holidays. The children were very happy about Melanie’s presence. Under the circumstances, with teachers and matrons temporarily absent, this was no easy task for Melanie. Unfortunately, she also encountered some acute problems at the boarding school, which we tried to clarify and solve together. This was largely successful. But it will continue in the new year with members on site. The ‘Rosenkinder’ travel team 2026 will of course also visit our project in Mahaweewa on 12 February 2026. They will certainly find all the children, matrons, teachers and other responsible persons there. However, we will also meet Jacobine Wöhlbrandt there. Jacobine is also a Rosenkinder member and will be working at the boarding school and school for the first time for three weeks in January/February 2026, for us, but especially for the children in Mahaweewa. This will certainly be a special experience for Jacobine, and the children will be happy to see a ‘new Rosenkinder face’ for us on site.
Current project “Rosenkinder Hostel” at the Vocational Training Center in Panadura in cooperation with the All Ceylon Buddhist Congress (ACBC) and „planned“ Projekt „Rosenkinder Hostel 2“ beim Boy Children Home in Payagala in Zusammenarbeit mit dem All Ceylon Buddhist Congress (ACBC)Other projects
At our Rosenkinder Hostel in Panadura, the 11 girls in the second year of the 2025 programme are currently spending their last few days there. They have all completed their course with a recognised Level 4 certificate. At the end of the course, all the girls received a savings account with 2,000 rupees. Nine girls will then do a paid internship at a textile factory, Joe Lanka Garments in Panadura, and two girls will hopefully be able to apply their knowledge in day care (baby care) with equal success. We visited this textile factory a few years ago and found the working conditions to be very good. Perhaps an unannounced visit will be on the agenda again in 2026? This cooperation between hostel/training and internship/career has proven itself over many years and ensures a secure and qualified future for the girls. In any case, we will visit the girls of the first cohort in 2026 at the training centre and hostel.
We are also very much looking forward to meeting Ms Kanchana in person in February 2026. She is the new project manager of the All Ceylon Buddhist Congress Education Committee. She has currently initiated a number of improvements to the premises in our hostel. But of course, she has also been working on the completion of our Rosenkinder Hostel 2 project and the remaining work in Payagala. According to her assessment, work should continue soon. We are also hopeful and will discuss this in detail with her and our architect Suresh in the new year. Then, hopefully, a date for completion and inauguration will be set.
other current projects
Care for the unborn Child
Basically, every first Friday of the month, our project manager Indaka from the Lions Club Aluthgama/Bentota organises a meeting with 10 sponsored mothers and the Step by Step new arrivals. Every month, there is a large ‘healthy’ food package and, when the baby arrives or is born, basic equipment for the mother and newborn. Medical and nursing care and support are also provided every month at the local health centre. The health centre selects the mothers in need for us. As all pregnant women must register at the central provincial health centre in Induruwa, there is a high degree of transparency regarding who needs additional help due to their personal situation. Of the 10 mothers who started in March 2025, all the babies have now been born. In addition, three mothers have already left the programme. This happens when the newborns are six months old. These mothers have been replaced by
Nisansala – 39 years old – due date 11 February 2026
Pradeepa – 31 years old – due date 27 February 2026
Dammini – 19 years old – due date 29 April 2026 – pictured here
During our visit next year, we will finally be back at the monthly meeting on 6 February and 6 March 2026 to meet all the mothers and certainly some of the babies.
Other information
As already mentioned, the travel plans for 2026 have now been finalised. We – a group of six people in total – will set off on 4 February 2026 and stay together in the ‘land of the rose children’ until 7 March 2026. So ‘everyone’ will enjoy the full programme of projects, a round trip and, to round things off, Ayurveda. Well then, we are very much looking forward to it, with only 108 days to go until departure.
As already mentioned, our group of six will be returning to the land of the ‘rose children’ for 30 days from 5 February to 7 March 2026. The programme includes many projects, a round trip and, to round things off, Ayurveda. We are still very much looking forward to it; there are only 45 days to go until departure. As usual, there will be daily live reports on our homepage www.rosenkinder.org and on Facebook. But there is also a reminder.
It is worth noting a date in your diary for next year, 2026. From 13 to 16 August 2026, we will be celebrating the 20th birthday of the Rose Children. All our members and supporters are already warmly invited. In addition to an official anniversary celebration with other invited guests on the first day, two charity concerts are planned and our friend Dr Umes Arunagirinathan will also be there. Of course, there will be a special members’ party on 15 August 2026. We are also planning the annual general meeting. Much more will follow.
But first – we wish you and your family a ‘wonderful and peaceful’ Christmas and all the best for a happy, successful and hopefully healthy 2026.
Thank you also for your loyalty and support for Rosenkinder.
We look forward to all further ‘good deeds’ by Rosenkinder in the near and distant future.
Your
Dieter Kaske