The Tender Sprouts children hope for a better and peaceful 2006. These children are already affected by war and Tsunami.

The war stole their parents, sisters and brothers and last year's Boxing Day Tsunami stole their friends. They don't want to loose any of their loved ones anymore in the future. They live, care and share as one family. They like to see more and more new visitors visiting them daily to share their joy. These cute children don't want to miss each other.

Tender Sprouts, Udayarkattu

There are 113 girls, and 13 boys staying here

The new building for Tender Sprouts was opened about a month ago.

Eight year old Thanushika Jeyasingham reads the business page of the Sunday Thinakkural

There is not enough for the children to study inside, they study in the verandah

Ten year old Vivekanantharasa Nilakshan, nine year old Kodeeswaran Kokilan, and nine year old Murali Pratheepanenjoy eating �Karuththakozhumbu� mango

Katpakaambigai Nadarajah carries one year old Sarangan. She says that she has been with the children for six years, and unable to leave them

New kids at Tender Sprouts. These children were born at the "Malarcholai", one of the other homes maintained by the Centre for Women's Development and Rehabilitation in Kilinochchi

Ten year old Sinthuja still draws pictures of Tsunami. She says that she lost her friends and difficult to forget them

The children want to study well , and play with their friends in the new building

There is much love and care needed for these kids

Ten kids share a room

"The boys who are orphaned due to various reasons are adapted in the society very easily, but it's a problem for the girls. The Tender Sprouts was started in 1995, bearing this in mind. This is the main reason that there are more girls staying here than boys " says the executive director Sutharshini Selvakumar

Tender Sprouts will accommodate more toddlers in the near future

The Tender Sprouts need more help, as they are planning to accommodate more children

The older children prefer to have more toddlers in the home to play

The toddlers always need cuddle, hugs and kisses

The children sing a happy song about their future. �If I be a father, if I be a mother, if I be a teacher, if I be a businessman, if I be a vegetable seller and if I be a policeman what will I do?�

The older girls like to take care of the younger brothers and sisters

Karthiga cries as she does not like the taste of �Veppennai� (Margrosa oil) applied on her lips, preventing her from biting it.

The children of Tender Sprouts are not afraid now , because there is no sea near as they are living inland. They are happy in their new home.