History of Habaragoda

Habaragoda (66) was born into a large family in Ratnapura, Sri Lanka. With five sisters and one brother, the house was filled with play and laughter. His father worked hard at woodworking and in the rice fields, while his mother tapped rubber to support the family. Life growing up was very simple, but rich in love and warmth. 

As a child, he experienced some frightening things. Among other things, he almost died when he was bitten by a wasp. Fortunately, he came out okay. School was mostly a joy for him, and he excelled in his studies. Habaragoda's great desire was to become a police officer, and after completing his exams, he succeeded. As a brand new police officer, he was sent to Jaffna, which was a conflict-ridden area at the time.  

A few years later, he met Rewathi , who would become his wife. They began writing letters to each other, defied their families' opposition, and got married. Life as a police officer was challenging, and he was seriously injured in the line of duty. After 22 years in the job, he had to leave the police force due to the injury. 

This led Habaragoda and his family into poverty . Rewathi worked a little in the garment industry, but it wasn't enough. They tried their hand at gardening and vegetable gardening, but lacked the knowledge and tools. In addition, one of their children was born with a disability. They struggled financially. 

Two years ago, that changed when they came into contact with Caritas . Through Caritas , they received training in gardening techniques, crop cultivation and money management. With new knowledge, their kitchen garden began to flourish and their income increased. They no longer felt alone, and their hard work has finally begun to pay off. 

Now he hopes that his grandson Anuhas will have a safe and good future.