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The Sri Lankan community in Bahrain is campaigning to help a school girl suffering from a life-threatening condition by covering the cost of a series of crucial operations.
Sadeesha Deewanthi Perera, aged 11, from the little town of Kandy in Sri Lanka has a neuromuscular disease which has made it difficult for her to walk and continue her studies.
Her plight was uncovered by Manjula Nilwakke, captain of the Young Lions Cricket Club and quality manager of DHL in Bahrain.
Mr Nilwakke said: "I felt it important to help and fortunately my friends in the club and my work colleagues agreed and we set about raising funds."
So far a staggering BD1,260 has been collected boosted by a generous donation of BD600 from DHL, the logistics company.
Little Sadeesha had been excelling at school and was recently offered a scholarship to attend a leading girls' school as a result of her academic prowess.
Unfortunately her condition worsened and she has been unable to take up the place.
An expert in neighbouring India, Dr P Wasudevan of Kamakshi Memorial Hospital in Chennai, believes the youngster could be helped.
The cost, however, of around BD5,160 for a series of operations, is beyond her family's means. With both her parents unemployed and Sadeesha's condition growing worse each day, the family made an impassioned plea for help in the local Press.
Mr Nilwakke contacted the family and received documental evidence of the girl's condition required to collect donations in Bahrain which included a letter from the head of the police, a doctor and her mother.
The cricket club was formed 10 years ago and has a reputation for being charity champions. Its members helped raise funds to build a home for victims of the 2004 Tsunami in Sri Lanka. They also collected money to help an ex-Bahrain resident Bandara - who lost most of his family and home in the disaster - to return and open a carpentry shop with his only surviving son.
Anyone interested in making donations to help Sadeesha, can contact Mr Nilwakke on 36637933 or Upul Madawa on 39131526 or Nimal from the Srilankan Bookshop on 39149393.
