Vanni Valam has been helping our sisters in the Vanni Region for many years now. We can proudly say that we have been able to aid men, women, and children find cost effective ways to better their living. Our motto is “Charity wrapped in Dignity” which simply means that every dollar we spend is used to set up a woman in a home-based business that should sustain her and help manage all her household expenses. This way they are able to provide for themselves and do not expect any handouts. We are registered as a not-for-profit organization by the Government of Quebec. Our donor base is limited to our members while we do not say no to help extended by outsiders

After the horrendous war ended in May 2009, million households and their means of income were destroyed. Over 100,000 widowed women took over the role as head of their families and left 40,000 teenage girls pregnant with no one to care for them. Most of the men either sacrificed their lives on the battlefields, became disabled, or went missing. It became the job of the widowed women, whom the majority had no skills or education, to be the breadwinner of their households. Women were forced to put a roof over their heads, fend for herself, feed the kids, ensure their education, and look after her husband, if he was still alive.