Kamanthi Wickramasinghe 
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How a child from Bandarawela chose to sell ‘dodol’ over education to make ends meet
Aisha Beebi
Uva Province Probation and Child Protection Commissioner
E. K. V. T Edirisuriya speaking to the boy
- Beebi spent the majority of her life as a migrant worker in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia
- According to the Uva Province Probation and Child Protection Commissioner, 620 vulnerable children are currently in orphanages following court orders in Uva Province
- The 12-year-old boy attends Kahagolla Vidyalaya in Diyatalawa and lives with his grandmother, Aisha Beebi (54), and his 10-year-old sister, who is studying for her scholarship exam, in Kahagolla, Diyatalawa
Someone had seen my grandson selling dodol and had posted it on Facebook. I fell quite ill over the past few days after the media and authorities visited us to make inquiries Beebi
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| The protagonist of this story wearing a hearty smile |
Social media had been abuzz with the news of a child selling dodol (a sweet, toffee-like confection popularly made in Sri Lankan households) in Bandarawela. Following the social media post published by an individual with the intention of helping the child and his family, there have been mixed reactions towards this gesture of kindness. Some argued that the child’s privacy was violated since his photo was posted on Facebook, while some appreciated the effort to support a family in need. But the Daily Mirror learned that with the social media hype and media attention, the family is now facing a level of vulnerability in getting on with their day-to-day life.
A life full of hardships
The boy (12) is a student of Kahagolla Vidyalaya, Diyatalawa and lives with his grandmother, Aisha Beebi (54) and sister, aged 10, who is preparing for her scholarship exam, in Kahagolla, Diyatalawa. Both these children were abandoned by their parents at a very young age, and it was Beebi who had been looking after them. Beebi makes sweets, mainly dodol, for a living. While the sister attends school, this boy has developed a habit of selling dodol made by his grandmother in the town, as a means of helping her to carry out her business.
“Now we are facing more issues” – Beebi
Beebi had spent the greater part of her life as a migrant worker in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. But when her granddaughter was abandoned by her mother at the age of 3 and her son was unable to settle into his married life, Beebi had no option but to come back for the sake of her grandchildren. “My husband died some 20 years ago, and life hadn’t been easy for me,” Beebi said, speaking to the Daily Mirror. “After I came back, I spent all the money to construct the house and even helped whoever wanted financial support. I was left with zero savings. But since I decided to look after these two grandchildren, I had to make a living. So whenever people ask for dodol, biryani or any other food item, I undertake orders,” she said.
Speaking about the recent incident, she said that her grandson would ask her to make dodol and that he had found an interest in taking them to the town to sell them. “Someone had seen my grandson selling dodol and had posted it on Facebook. I fell quite ill over the past few days after the media and authorities visited us to make inquiries,” she added.
Beebi suffers from low blood pressure and complains of severe abdominal pain. She recalled an incident where she had to be given 6 pints of blood on one occasion. “The doctors have warned me that if this condition becomes worse, it will affect the heart. I’m worried about the future of my grandchildren. I have to find money in order to raise them, send them to school, while spending on medication. Recently, the Grama Niladhari provided my two grandchildren with some books and stationery items. But for how long would they do all these? With all these incidents taking place, we are facing more issues now, and I’m contemplating how to make ends meet,” she further said.
Initiatives to protect vulnerable children
When the incident was reported to the authorities, a team of probation officers led by Uva Province Probation and Child Protection Commissioner E. K. V. T Edirisuriya visited Kahagolla in search of the child. During their visit, the probation officers had strictly advised the grandmother to discourage her grandson from continuing business activities and to ensure that he continues his schooling. Edirisuriya further said that a request has been made to the Presidential Secretariat to provide them with the necessary facilities to continue their education.
Edirisuriya further noted that over 620 vulnerable children in Uva Province are currently in orphanages following court orders. Many of these children have been abused by their parents and unknown individuals, while some have been abandoned at birth, and some have lost both their parents. She said that steps are being taken to provide them with the necessary education. She underscored the need to identify vulnerable children as the two children mentioned in the aforementioned story, with the assistance of the Grama Niladhari and child rights officers.
Photos and additional reporting by our Ella correspondent Prasad Rukmal.
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