Sri Lanka doubles housing assistance for vulnerable children and youth to Rs. 2 Million

Sri Lanka President Anura Kumara Dissanayake said the Government has increased housing assistance under the “Diriyaata Saviyak” programme from Rs. 1 million to Rs. 2 million and is prepared to provide further funds if the amount is insufficient.

The President made the remarks at the launch of the “Diriyaata Saviyak” Housing Programme, organised by the Ministry of Women and Child Affairs, at the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo on September 17, 2026.

Under the programme, a housing assistance grant of Rs. 2 million is provided to help build homes for young men and women over the age of 18 who have left Child Development Centres and entered society, as well as children identified as living in vulnerable and high-risk situations.

Financial assistance was presented to beneficiaries from the Western Province during the event.

President Dissanayake said children are the nation’s most precious asset and that protecting their lives and creating a safe environment for them is a responsibility of the Government, parents and society.

He said children grow up in different circumstances, including under the care of parents, grandparents and Child Development Centres, but all children should receive proper care and protection.

The President said children continued to face unsafe and difficult circumstances despite measures taken over the years to strengthen their protection.

He said the “Diriyaata Saviyak” programme seeks to provide greater security for young people leaving Child Development Centres and for children living in unsafe housing conditions.

The President said authorities have encountered children who do not know their date of birth or even their surname, and stressed the need to help children who do not have parents or families able to provide them with secure homes and a stable future.

He also said the Government has launched a programme to open a bank account for every child living in Child Development Centres and deposit Rs. 5,000 into each account every month.

According to the President, there have been difficulties in opening accounts for some children, but the programme is continuing.

He said Rs. 1 million had been provided last year to support the construction of secure homes, but the amount was increased to Rs. 2 million this year after it was found to be insufficient.

“If that too is insufficient, we are prepared to allocate further funds,” the President said, according to the President’s Media Division.

He also called on society to play a greater role in protecting children, saying the Government alone cannot ensure their safety and well-being.

Minister of Women and Child Affairs Saroja Paulraj said social development must take place alongside physical development in areas such as transport and healthcare.

She said the Ministry is working to address hardships faced by women and children and help them build secure and dignified lives.

According to the Minister, more than 8,000 children are currently living in 356 Child Development Centres across Sri Lanka.

They include children who have come into contact with the juvenile justice system, victims, orphans, abandoned children and those without adequate parental care or protection.

Paulraj said the Government hopes in 2027 to separate children according to their individual needs and provide better protection, counselling, guidance and opportunities for education and overall well-being.

She said measures are also needed to rehabilitate children where necessary and support their successful reintegration into society.

The Minister noted that boys make up the majority of children in probation and child care institutions and said greater attention must be given to building a secure future for them.

She also said some children in such institutions have never had an opportunity to watch a film or a stage play.

The Government therefore hopes to provide opportunities for their artistic, emotional and spiritual development, along with counselling services, to help them become well-rounded and responsible citizens.

Paulraj urged those receiving housing assistance under the programme to make their homes places where children are cared for and can live in a loving, happy and secure environment.

Western Province Governor Hanif Yusoof, Secretary to the President Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, Chief of Staff to the President Prabath Chandrakeerthi, Commissioner of the Department of Probation and Child Care Services U.L. Mathisha Jinanjalie Jayathilaka, Secretary to the Ministry of Women and Child Affairs Tharangani Wickramasinghe, several women Members of Parliament and government officials attended the event.