Even before the tsunami struck, the Hari Children's Home was surviving against all odds. The people of Kallady—a village in eastern Sri Lanka—built the orphanage in 1985 for boys who had lost parents in the country's brutal civil war. For decades, community members provided the orphans with everything they needed, from daily meals to school uniforms.

When the tsunami hit the eastern coast of Sri Lanka last December, 25 boys were living in the home. The building remained standing, but most of the orphans' belongings were destroyed. "What little the children had—the tsunami took away," said S. Chadrakumar, director of the Hari Children's Home. People from Kallady, who had sustained the orphanage for decades, were in no position to help the boys; they too had lost loved ones, homes and jobs in the disaster.

Since the tsunami, the NetAid network has responded to the tsunami with an overwhelming outpouring of support, donating over $150,000 for relief and rehabilitation. NetAid has since partnered with organizations in multiple tsunami-affected nations to assist the communities in greatest need.  

Together with the Sewalanka Foundation, an organization with over a decade of experience in Sri Lanka, NetAid is helping the orphanage get back on its feet. Donations from NetAid's relief fund will not only help replace the library, generator, beds and other parts of the home damaged by the tsunami, but improve the conditions in Hari Children's Home for years to come. The project goes beyond emergency relief to rehabilitation and empowerment, providing the war orphans with resources that will allow them to realize their full potential.

"The support of NetAid and Sewalanka has made it possible for orphans to return to school," said Mr. Chadrakumar, "and has lifted the spirit of the community."

NetAid continues to honor its commitment both to the people who made donations and to the affected communities by continuing to support rehabilitation projects months after the tsunami.

"Even before the tsunami, these children were left in a vulnerable place by the war," said Holly Welcome Radice, program manager of the NetAid World Schoolhouse. "The orphanage—and the community that supports it—gave the children a chance to live and grow in a caring environment. By working with Sewalanka, we are committed to helping these boys stay on track."

Read more about World Schoolhouse's work with Sewalanka Foundation >>

Read more about World Schoolhouse's tsunami appeal projects >>