The building of a Sri Lankan orphanage

Don’s goddaughter Rosie-May Storrie was murdered during Christmas celebrations in England in 2003. After Rosie-May’s tragic death, the Storrie family established a charity to assist children in peril.

The following year, the Storries travelled to the Maldives for Christmas hoping to spend time together and remember Rosie-May. However, on Boxing Day while the family were on a jetty at the beach, the Asian Tsunami struck.

Fortunately, the Storries survived, but after experiencing the devastation of the tsunami first-hand and travelling to some of the worst hit areas, the focus of the Rosie- May Charity Fund became clear. They decided to build an orphanage in Boossa, Sri Lanka in Rosie-May’s name, for young orphans of the tsunami.

In another act of humanity, Colombo Hospital surgeon Dr Asoka Jayasena, generously donated his ancestral home and its five acre estate to be converted into a school. The facility now incorporates school rooms, a medial centre, preschool and computer centre. In 2005, a feeding station was established at Hambantota where almost 100 children now learn English and maths and enjoy their main meal each day. A new building for the feeding station will be constructed by the Rosie-May Fund in 2008.

The Storries, with support from Dr Jayasena, also agreed to construct two accommodation buildings on this site, and construction of the first of two orphanages commenced in December 2006. Rosie-May’s Home will house 20 young orphaned girls and boys, plus a house parent. Rosie-May’s Home will focus on bringing separated orphaned siblings back together. A second, identical home will commence in early 2008.

Given the widespread devastation of the Asian Tsunami there remains a huge shortage of tradesmen in the area to manage the thousands of re-construction projects, let alone building new structures. So Don and Ryan Murray travelled to Sri Lanka where they met Graham Storrie and two other friends from England. The team spent almost two weeks working on Rosie-May’s Home in an effort to progress the project.

On his return, Don described the conditions as "very hot and very humid".

“We worked primarily with hand tools only,” he said. “The scaffolding was bamboo bound with string and the work was heavy.”

“We went through 25 litres of water a day between us in an effort to remain hydrated. However, the work was rewarding and we left with a feeling of great achievement.”

The Murray family plan to return in November for the opening of the first Rosie-May’s Home. To sponsor a child to reside in Rosie-May’s Home contact Don on +61 7 3163 1006.