Songs for the children!

Saturday, 16 November 2013 00:01 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

By David Ebert

The season of giving is almost upon us and it is that time of year again where we all should ideally reflect on and spare a thought for the less fortunate that live among us who are faced with circumstances far more difficult and arduous than our own, and more importantly, for reasons they have no control over. Having a parent in prison affects children in more ways than one. It’s not only the stigma and alienation that they have to face at the end of the day, but also the loss of proper care, adequate supervision and a general decline in the focus of a child’s educational pursuits. It is this very issue that has been taken up by an organisation called ‘The Friends of Prisoners’ Children’, that has holds a series of concerts called the ‘Imagine Concert for the Child’ in order to raise funds to support their activities geared towards offering children facing such circumstances a chance to have a normal life with the right opportunities and the required attention that they lack. With it being the only program of its kind in Sri Lanka that deals with prisoners’ children, the program uses a sponsorship-based program that assigns each sponsor a child that they can communicate with and track their progress through this system. The children in turn respond with letters through ‘Friends of Prisoners’ Children’ and are keen to show their progress in school to these sponsors. The program also uses an inclusive process that gives the prisoner the opportunity of applying for the scholarship, thus giving them a feeling of

responsibility in doing something positive for the family and especially for his/her child/children. Race, religion and caste are not considered when scholarships are disbursed. There is also clarity in the message permeated to the school and the community, ‘walking the talk’ that children should not be penalised for the faults of their parents and that Friends of Prisoners’ Children and its sponsors are willing to stand by and support these children. In addition, this approach adds to the confidence levels of the children, extending hope and opportunity that would hitherto not have been available to them, allowing them to aspire towards goals and careers that would create a sustainable environment for their future. In a message posted on the Imagine Concert for the Child Facebook page, Natasha Rathnayake, one of the stars taking the stage again this year said: “I believe no child should be punished for their parents’ wrongdoings. Every child deserves an equal opportunity in life to love and be loved in return, and that can only happen from the life they grow to finally know. “I’m glad to be performing for the second consecutive year. It’s a great initiative! It also teaches us not to judge and discriminate against innocent children, based on the backgrounds they come from. Just imagine, if we were in their situation, wouldn’t we have wanted a life of hope and equality in society?” Begun in 2005 and headed by its founders, Sister Immaculate de Alwis and Priyanthi Dissanayake, the organisational mission of ‘Friends of Prisoners’ Children’ as they stated, is to “free prisoners’ children from the stigma attached to them and give them an incentive to ensure they complete their education and eventually aspire to sustainable employment avenues and not follow their parents’ example”. And with the season of giving just around the corner, the Imagine Concert for the Child will once again hit the boards this Thursday, 21 November at the Bishop’s College Auditorium, featuring a star-studded ensemble that have quite commendably come forward once again to perform for a worthy cause such as this. The line up for the day will consist of the main organiser of the concert last year and this year as well, Rukshan Perera and will be joined by crooner Rajitha Rupasinghe of Misty, The De Lanerolle Brothers, songstress Natasha Rathnayake, The Revelations, choral act the ‘Little Sopranos’ along with newcomers this time round, the ever popular Wildfire and Flame. Chief organiser and famed Sri Lankan musician Rukshan Perera, speaking on the concert, said: “It is truly a pleasure to perform for Imagine concert to raise funds for the children of prisoners. These children have one or no parent at home and are neglected in every way. They deserve better and it’s our duty to help and guide them and give them an opportunity in life.” A worthier cause this Christmas would be hard to find and the organisers are hopeful that the star-studded performance would encourage patrons to consider sponsorship and help the organisation increase the number of children whose lives they affect positively, from the 265 children who currently benefit from the scholarships. So take a chance this 21 November and bring some hope and joy to the lesser privileged children of our community. After all, Christmas really is for the children. Tickets will be priced at Rs. 500 (balcony), Rs. 750, Rs. 1,000, Rs. 1,500 and Rs. 2,000 and are available at the Bishop’s College Auditorium.