There’s nothing quite like the smile on a child’s face, yet many amongst us are deprived of this simple curve that in an instant has the power to make life better. We talk so much about children’s rights that include the right to health, education, family life, play and recreation, but sometimes all a little one needs is a smile.
Vivek Jayasuriya and his family understand the importance of simple acts. If you were to speak to any one of the brothers in this family, they would tell you how for as long as they can remember their parents have been teaching them and inculcating the value of giving back to those in need. It was perhaps this value and an encounter for Vivek with the dire needs of thousands if not millions of children around him that birthed the “SMILE Sri Lanka Foundation in 2009”. Armed with a mission and vision “to help the less fortunate and/or orphaned youth of the country by equipping them with the necessary knowledge, skills and ability to succeed in the future”, Vivek first started out in order to give children a brighter future by means of providing them with education, leisure events and financial support.
Since then the foundation itself has grown from immediate and extended family, close friends to friends of friends.
Apart from the programmes put together by the SMILE team over the years to provide education and counseling to street children, orphans and children at various children’s homes, one of the most ambitious and significant events has been the annual “SMILE Sri Lanka Carnival” which is held every year during Christmas time in an attempt to spread the joy, love and happiness of the season.
The first carnival in 2009 started with just 250 kids, and by the time the fifth year came calling that number had risen to a 1,000 street kids and orphans. Last year on December 11th more than 2,500 children gathered at the Mount Park for a day they wait so eagerly for throughout the years.
Such a magnanimous task involves the time, effort, money and gracious hearts of volunteers who for the last few years have given their all. From logistics and obtaining permissions to finding funding both locally and internationally, a team of young people who speak different languages and come from different walks of life, unite for a common cause. The cause has grown so much that there are those that even fly down to Sri Lanka every year just to be a part of it.
Most of the hard labour starts a few days before the carnival when 3,000 gifts this year had to be sorted and packed. In what was truly a collaborated effort, families and friends get together for the first part of the fun, making “production lines” and dividing tasks among them. Once the gifts are all packed Vivek and his team visit several areas in Colombo where living conditions are at its worst and invite children and their parents to attend the carnival.
On D-day this year more than 200 volunteers turned up to ensure that all goes well. With free food, drinks, ice-cream, popcorn and candy floss for everyone, games and rides to enjoy, it is no easy task. Yet there really is no word to describe the joy when the children walk in with wide-eyed wonder and smiles that link ear-to-ear.
This year like all others saw many local celebrities join in to perform and bring added fun and activities to the children. Many of the children had travelled from all corners of the island just for this day. The most anticipated visitor this year was Santa who made a spectacular entrance on top of a fire truck, even getting his balloons caught up in some wires in his excitement to reach the children who so eagerly waited for his arrival.
This year Vivek hopes to extend the same excitement to children all over the nation by taking the SMILE carnival out of Colombo. If you wish to find out more information on how to collaborate or volunteer, everything you need to know is on their website www.smilefoundationsrilanka.com
At the end of the day, if you were a volunteer at the carnival, you like me will have no feeling in your feet, no voice left to even say goodbye to friends that you just met, but it will all be worth it. And it is all because a it only cost you one smile for a thousand in return.