CandleAid assists low-income families by supporting them under its Food Programme, giving them a monthly subsistence of LKR 3,000 by enrolling them in the GAM program. Currently, there are 223 such families. If there are 4 people in each family, it means we are assisting 892 people. You may be one of our current sponsors or you may be a potential sponsor who is browsing this page. We are confident that you will be happy to be associated with this programme.
Selections of beneficiaries for a sponsorship
Recipients are selected with careful consideration through a laid down procedure to determine their eligibility for assistance irrespective of race or religion. After assessing their financial circumstances preference is given to families with children. The selected family will be monitored by a Coordinator who has the responsibility to keep CandleAid informed of any changes of circumstances of the family.
The family also will submit an initial letter of thanks and acknowledgement to the sponsor once enrolled. Further the family will write at least once a year to the sponsor giving an update of their status. The sponsor can contact the recipient family by phone or surface mail or visit the family if desired.
Two months before the sponsorship expires CandleAid will write to the sponsor seeking his/her intention regarding the continuation of the sponsorship. The overview gives more fuller information.
Sponsorship terms
Minimum period of sponsorship is one year, and the sponsor has the discretion to renew thereafter. If there is any impediment to do so, the sponsor will give CandleAid at least a month’s notice so that we could find a new sponsor for the family.
The total annual commitment is LKR 39,600 which includes an administrative fee of 10%.
Stories of some selected families
1). Mr P Ganesh & family - Katubedda, Moratuwa
Ganesh is a ‘pavement cobbler’ earning his family’s ‘daily bread’ at the Katubedda Junction. His wife does menial work as and when she can find them.They have 4 children, three are in school. The eldest attends a graphic design course. The cobbler’s income and his wife’s paltry earnings are totally insufficient for the family to make have even one square meal a day. CandleAid has enrolled them in its GAM program.
2). Mrs. Wedage Sriyani – Ihala Gama, Deniyaya
Wedage Sriyani is 35 years old, a widow with 4 children. Her husband had passed away in 2020 suffering from a brain tumor. Her sole income is what she derives by selling sweets and betel in a mobile kiosk. If lucky, she makes about LKR 6,000 a month. Her 4 sons aged 17, 14, 10 and 4 are all schooling and they all live in Ihala Gama, Deniyaya.Their situation is pathetic with hardly an answer in sight. CandleAid has them in the Gift-A-Meal program and are looking for ways to help them more.
There are too many families suffering from hunger in Sri Lanka. Sadly, most affected are the children. We are simply trying to do what we can at least to feed some of the hungry.
Statistics as of 31st December’2022
Total families assisted - 822
Current Families - 900
Current sponsors - 100
Current coordinators - 173
GAM Overview