The most tragic event of the devastating tsunami is the large number of children who lost their lives. A little child playing on the beach enjoying the calm ocean, oblivious to the monstrous wave, did not have a chance to escape the raging sea. A child snatched by the sea, leaving a weeping Mother and Father unable to bear the loss of their most precious gift to the world. The tsunami also left many children without a Mother or a Father and in some instances both. Searching for their Mother or Father in vain, left with their familiar surrounding destroyed; these kids are vulnerable to child predators and need our help NOW!

1. Assistance to tsunami affected children and their families
2. Building child care facilities with an emphasis on child development and education
3. Assist the government of Sri Lanka in providing Foster care and Adoptive care arrangements

Assistance to Tsunami affected children and their families

• Assistance to tsunami affected children in their time of need
  This main I-FREED directed project will give hope to 200 identified children and their families. The funds collected will be used to provide monthly stipends to the families (for one year) to help meet their basic needs. During this time, I-FREED plans to assist these families with ways and means to regain their mental and physical health and obtain employment. It is our hope that our efforts would empower them to achieve financial independence in order to support their children. For those who need long term assistance, sponsors will be identified and linked with the families. I-FREED plans to expand this project to 1000 such children.
  
  We at I-FREED invite YOU to join in our efforts to provide hope and joy to the tsunami affected children of Sri Lanka though this project. Click here to find out more about this project and how you can help a child who “needs a helping hand”.
  

Building child care facilities with an emphasis on child development and education

At the inception of this project, “Give me a Hand”, I-FREED had a goal of building a number of child development facilities. Due to strict government regulations that have been imposed to protect and ensure the safety of the children affected by the tsunami, (especially the orphans), these plans have been delayed. However, it is our intention to solicit funds from foundations and organizations to pursue this objective in the future in order to assist the orphans and parents who need child care.

Assist the government of Sri Lanka in providing Foster care and Adoptive care arrangements

The government via the National Child Protection Authority (NCPA) has undertaken the custody of the orphans. All foster care and adoption arrangements will be facilitated by the NCPA. I-FREED has currently assisted the government via the NCPA with funds for this purpose.

Completed (Give me a hand) Projects

• Assistance to the National Child Protection Authority (NCPA)
  
  
• Providing school supplies to affected children in Kalutara district
  
  
• Providing school supplies to affected children in Hambantota district
  
  
• Providing school supplies to affected children in Ampara district
  
  
• Providing temporary shelters for families with children
  
  

About the "Give me a hand" logo:
The logo depicts a child's outstretched hand reaching out for help. The palm is in the shape of Sri Lanka representing the devastated island. The logo is done in crayons to depict the carefree innocence of childhood that was scarred by the tsunami disaster.