Nufajil returns to school as his family fulfils their aspirations
Mental Health and Psychosocial Support in Sri Lanka help build household resilience and ensure children’s well-being
Nufajil (12) is happy to be going back to his school in Veloor – a rural village North of Trincomalee in Sri Lanka’s Eastern Province. His education was disrupted for nearly a year due to the financial difficulties and emotional trauma the family faced. But today, thanks to the tailored Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) support the family received to overcome their setbacks, he has a positive attitude towards his future.
“Now we have a happy family,” says Nufajil. “My father takes me to school, and my mother now runs a small shop, and we can finally have three meals a day.”
Nufajil’s mother, Rashidu (44), had been ill for some time. She has been receiving treatment for over 15 years for various diseases, including seizures, diabetes and cardiovascular disease, significantly increasing the daily challenges for her family and causing her considerable mental distress.
"I often felt overwhelmed by my illness, convinced that I would never overcome it,” Rashidu explains. “My life had become careless, and I neglected my household duties. I constantly worried about how I would manage my health and our financial struggles, especially with no support from anyone—our relatives had abandoned us. My husband would often say I was mentally affected, which only deepened my negative mindset.”
Rashidu’s health problems soon began impacting the family. “My father had to give up work to look after my mother. Therefore, we struggled to make ends meet. My parents quarrelled all the time. I could not concentrate on my studies, and there was no one to take me to school.”
By mid-2023, the functioning of the household completely collapsed; Nufajil’s father, Mohamadu (40), who had lost work opportunities during the economic crisis, found it hard to make ends meet. As his wife’s condition worsened, he was forced to stay at home to take care of her.
"My family faced severe hardships.My wife’s situation added to my plight, and we had daily fights. This affected my son deeply. My son’s education was also disrupted,” explains Mohamadu.
No longer having the wherewithal to function as a family, to take care of themselves and their surroundings, Nufajil had to give up school and stay at home, giving up all traces of normalcy in his life.
In April 2024, with funding from the German National Committee, UNICEF Sri Lanka enhanced the capacity of the MHPSS system in the Eastern Province. This upgrade to the system provided tailored support to strengthen the capacity of families to care for and ensure the safety and well-being of their children.
Under the programme, 100 families with children at risk of distress were identified, and relevant support was provided, including building household resilience, inculcating resilient financial habits, and promoting overall family well-being.
For Nufajil’s family, this included helping them identify their aspirations as a family through dream mapping exercises and helping them identify the financial gaps. The intervention also sought the support of various professionals such as child protection officials, midwives, and education officials to support the family by providing them with the necessary awareness on health, managing finances, family unity and the importance of education.
“After attending various awareness and training sessions, I was able to transform myself and make positive changes for my family,” Rashidu affirms.
To help the family achieve their aspirations, the project supported Rashidu in establishing a small grocery shop to cater to the neighbourhood. Theirs is the only shop in the small village, and Rashidu gains a solid profit of LKR 4,000 per week by catering to the community's needs.
“I now dream of fulfilling my family’s aspirations. Since opening a grocery shop, I have kept myself busy. I feel freed from my previous mindset, embracing a healthier version of myself. I eat well, make sure my son is well-fed, and he attends school every day. My relationship with my husband has also improved, and we now enjoy a better life together,” Rashidu says with a smile.
“I am pleased to see their transformation within a short period. Their household tidiness and hygiene have improved significantly. The spouses work together for their family, prioritising their son’s education. The child is more attached to the parents, and I can see smiles on their faces during my visits. The mother’s attitude has shifted from negativity to hopefulness for their future. She now aims to buy a motorbike for her husband to transport stocks from the wholesale shop, further developing their business,” affirms Suthakaran Sathurshan, the animator from LEADS – the programme’s implementing partner.
“Now I see that my mother’s condition has improved. And my parents are not fighting. Now our home is a happier place.”
