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Metta Youth Centre

Ti-Sarana opens youth centre for Tsunami victims

Friday, 5. January 2007By Daniel Fong, Tsunami Reconstruction Facilitation Committee

On 26 December 2006, two years on after the 2004 Tsunami Disaster, the Metta Youth Centre was commissioned by the Government Authority of Matara to provide a permanent home to over 100 youths.

The project was an initiative of Ti-sarana Buddhist Association (TBA) of Singapore in partnership with the Singapore Red Cross for the Matara community in Sri Lanka. 

The Metta Youth Centre includes a multi-purpose hall, an educational complex with maximum capacity of 200 students as well as its many vegetable gardens to ensure that its students are given the best of education. As it opens its doors for application, the youth centre will cater to the needs of around 100 children made orphans by the Asian Tsunamis on 26 December 2004.

Unlike most educational facilities, the Metta Youth Centre focuses on providing psychological rehabilitation to its inhabitants by means of curing the children of their aquaphobia. 

"While it is important that these orphans receive an education, it is imperative that they are given therapy to help them to appreciate water once again," said Mr Christopher Lim, Project Manager of TBA.

While there is sufficient place for only 100 residents in the Youth Centre, the TBA wishes to expand its living quarters to provide for another 100 residents in the next three years. The TBA has set up a number of social enterprising schemes to provide the budget for this endeavour.

"We want the residents to have a sense of ownership, like this is their home. If they have to work to make it a better home, I feel that they would cherish it a whole lot more," said Kala, Committee member of TBA.