Time to celebrate: The Rainbow Centre is 20 years old!
Having begun with a small group of street children and a big dream, it is flourishing with 200 students and provides a comprehensive programme of education and welfare. Thanks to the huge generosity of donors it has got this far. Please help to ensure that this life changing work can continue for another 20 years.
WHAT WE DO
The Rainbow Centre was founded by Alison Nagle in 2004. Alison, who survived the tsunami while on holiday with her family, stayed on in Sri Lanka and began working with children who were living and begging on the street.
These children were often abused, abandoned and forced to beg to survive, often funding absent parents’ drug addictions. Undernourished, hungry, barefoot, filthy, they endured an abysmal existence. All this was made worse because they lived without any hope that their lives could change.
When brought together in a temple and asked what they wanted the most, they said: “To go to school and be like normal children.”
The aim of the Rainbow Centre is to enable children to break free from the cycle of poverty that would otherwise trap them in a world of generational destitution, without any hope for a better future.
The Rainbow Centre started with 15 children who were given lessons in a small, rented house. Widespread discrimination based on ethnicity and poverty meant that it took three years to find a mainstream school that was willing to accommodate these children. As the number of children in its care increased, the Centre moved to larger, rented premises. It also was donated a bus, which picked up the children from their slum housing, took them to the only mainstream school that would accept them, brought them back to the Centre for a nutritious and delicious lunch and provided them with intensive afternoon lessons.
The Rainbow Centre is funded by the Rainbow Centre Sri Lanka, the UK-registered charity. Many generous corporate, individual and school donors have provided this funding. In 2016, the Rainbow Centre purchased its current premises in Bentota, which have been significantly expanded and upgraded. The facilities include: a large, secure garden; a modern two-storey classroom block for every grade of students, day-care for infants aged two, and the two pre-schools. In addition, it serves to house an office, the library, the science laboratory, the IT room, English room and music rooms. The expanded dining room, upgraded kitchen, the nurse’s room, the shower and toilet block are at the rear of the new block. In addition, a large washing area caters for the students whose parents and carers are unable to provide any facilities for bathing or clean clothes.
Currently, the Rainbow Centre is operating at its full capacity with 200 students, aged from two to 23 years old. These have been selected on the basis of being the most deserving of support. During 2023-2024, a total of 20 new children, living in appalling conditions, many of whom were unable to read or count, joined the Centre.
Star student: Saumya
Saumya, aged 23 is studying medicine at Colombo University. She is a beneficiary of the Rainbow Centre scholarship scheme which enables students to access tertiary education, who would otherwise not be able to afford the expense. Saumya’s father was a room boy in a hotel. In regular talks to the senior school, Saumya works as a mentor to the Rainbow Students encouraging them to believe that, through studying, they can achieve their dreams.
I want to be a doctor!
Randeepa has always wanted to be a doctor and is well on his way to achieving his dream. He speaks English, studies hard, is highly intelligent and focused on his goals. As a young child he was often left
all day without food and, as for nearly all the Rainbow Centre children, suffered from neglect.
I want to be a vet!
Hansani loves animals. After her A Levels, she plans to go to university to train as a vet. When she joined the Centre, she was malnourished, highly nervous and rarely spoke. The nurturing care of the Centre has helped her mature into a studious, confident, ambitious young woman. She is a role model and very popular with her peers and her teachers.
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I want to work in finance!
Akash has a rough life: his brother is a drug dealer and addict; his stepfather is on remand for molesting a neighbour’s child. His mother is nearly crippled and lives in a state of severe deprivation and dependence. Akash has faced his challenges with great courage. He is studying for his A Levels in Business Studies, Economics and Accounting. He hopes to go into the Banking Sector. He is kind, strong and mature. He is determined to escape the poverty he was born into.
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I want to work in finance!
Akash has a rough life: his brother is a drug dealer and addict; his stepfather is on remand for molesting a neighbour’s child. His mother is nearly crippled and lives in a state of severe deprivation and dependence. Akash has faced his challenges with great courage. He is studying for his A Levels in Business Studies, Economics and Accounting. He hopes to go into the Banking Sector. He is kind, strong and mature. He is determined to escape the poverty he was born into.
