Help families access the basic protections they need to build a better future.
In the dry plains of Mihinthale, Anuradhapura, a Telugu community lives on the margins. Their ancestors fled conflict in India generations ago, seeking safety. But in Sri Lanka, they remain without land rights, without access to state services, and often, without dignity.
Today, there are over 70 Telugu families in this division. Many survive by selling incense on the streets. It offers them a way to ask for help—sometimes for food, sometimes just to be seen.
When we met Ravathi, her face was buried in her hands.
“I have gone through too much,” she said quietly.
Her husband, once a snake charmer who used his skills to attract passers-by, now struggles with illness. With no income, they beg to keep a little food on their table.
This project will help change that.
We will work with 72 families in Ihala Ulpath Wewa village in Seettukulama GND in Mihinthale Division —supporting the full construction of 22 homes and the partial construction of 30 homes, 67 toilets and 19 houses. But this is about more than shelter. It’s about giving families the foundational rights and protections they’ve never had—so they can participate in the economy, access services, and begin to rebuild with dignity.
How we’ll make it happen:
- Community engagement: We’ll work closely with the Telugu community to co-design the process and ensure collective ownership.
- Securing land rights: Many families live on land without formal title. We’ll work with local government to help families secure legal recognition and tenure.
- Access to identification and documentation: Without birth certificates or land surveys, families are invisible in the system. We’ll support them to obtain the documentation they need.
- Designing appropriate homes and toilets: Together with each family, we’ll assess housing and toilet needs and develop plans that reflect family size and priorities.
- Water access: Currently, families live without water. We’ll work with authorities to ensure access to water for each household.
Why this matters
Without secure housing, water, and identity, families cannot even begin to think about earning a living income. This project provides foundational support—the protections every family deserves before they can build a stable and self-reliant future.
Be part of the change.
Donate today and help this Telugu community secure their basic rights—and take the first step toward a life of dignity and possibility.