your family update

When we first met Nadeesha, her presence was quiet and fragile. She struggled to find the right words, her thoughts sometimes scattered, but beneath her uncertainty was a deep love for her children and a heart weighed down by hardship.

At 38 years old, Nadeesha is a mother doing everything she can to care for her three children alone. Life became too overwhelming, and her husband left, leaving her to face each day without the support she desperately needs. Among her children, one has a disability and requires constant care and attention.

When Nadeesha goes to work, she must leave her disabled child in the care of relatives. She worries deeply about her daughter’s safety and well-being, knowing that the relatives do their best, but also fearing the harsh treatment and beatings her daughter sometimes endures. It is a pain she carries silently, knowing there is little she can do to change it.

Nadeesha’s mind struggles with the weight of her circumstances, making it hard for her to express her feelings clearly. Yet despite this, she shows a quiet resilience—a fierce determination to provide for her children and give them a chance at a better future.

Please note for many beneficiaries sharing in written form is not easy. We sit with these men and women to support them to share their story and have added context so you can weave together what you have made possible.

My name is Nadeesha. I am a widow living in Anuradhapura with three children.

My daughter, now 15 years old, and is a disabled child. My younger son is 9 years old. I also suffer from a nerve/stroke-related condition and frequent seizures.

I had no way to earn an income to live. We used to live in a small daub and wattle room, all of us.

(At the time we met Nadeesha, her family was struggling with the deep poverty and loneliness that followed her husband leaving them. Life has been very difficult for her, especially as a woman who has been subjected to physical, mental, and sexual abuse. So, when she joined our project, she was in a mentally confused state. But with yours and Palmera’s support, she has received the help that she needed and found the strength to save her own money and start a business, helping her family recover and rebuild their lives.)

But Palmera, came alongside me when my family had lost hope. I was given the opportunity to start a self-employment livelihood through chicken rearing. And I received considerable mental strength from it and relief. It was also a great support for my children’s education.

(Through the programme, Nadeesha has been able to place her children’s education at the centre of her household planning. When a mother can pay school fees without crisis or borrowing, children stay in school. And with that, the path forward for the next generation begins to open.)

I was able to fulfill all our daily expenses by selling the eggs from my chickens. Because of this, worries about daily income for the family have gradually reduced.

(The assets Nadeesha has built through the programme -her animals, her skills- belong entirely to her. When Palmera’s support ends, these income sources do not disappear. What she has built continues. This is what sustainable economic independence looks like.)

For both mine and my daughters illnesses, Palmera stepped in and helped us with the medical expenses. This has given us all peace of mind.

Also, Palmera has provided suitable resources for us to have our own house. This included rooms, a kitchen and a toilet. And now I know I can keep my daughter safe from all the terrible things that were happening to her living so exposed the way we did.

(Building a new home was not something Nadeesha could have done alone when she first came to the programme. With Palmera’s further support, the income she had built, and the strength of her community around her, she was able to make it possible. This is what the programme is designed to create. Not dependency, but the conditions in which a family can take the next step for themselves. We see that happen with Nadeesha whose house has also made a way for her to engaged in a job. Previously, she was unable to go to work because there was no place to leave her daughter safely. But now, she can lock her house and leave her safely with her grandmother.)

I express my deepest gratitude to everyone and every hand that worked to make my life and my children’s lives successful and joyful.

(Today, Nadeesha earns between thirty-five thousand and forty thousand rupees monthly from her employment. It is supplemented by the income she receives from chicken rearing. A woman who experiences very low social acceptance previously is now accepted not only by her village savings group that was established by Palmera, but also by her entire village. She is now a resource for her community, extending the reach of what you have made possible.)

I am extremely grateful to you (Mehen) and your family for your generosity.

Thank you.

Nadeesha

This is our final letter from Nadeesha. The programme is complete. And what she has built will not end when our work does. She came to us with no savings, no reliable income, and no clear path forward. She leaves with all three. And with the skills, confidence, and community to keep building what she has started long after this programme ends. Thank you for making all this possible. We couldn’t have done it without your generosity.