Saila Ithayaraj facts for kids

Saila Ithayaraj (born in 1977) is a brave Sri Lankan activist who works for women's rights. She is especially known for helping widows.

Saila was born in 1977 in Jaffna, a northern part of Sri Lanka. Her family were fishermen. When she was just 10 years old, in 1987, she lost her father during a time of conflict. As the oldest child, she helped her mother support their family.

When Saila was 18, she got married. A few years later, in 1996, her husband disappeared during the conflict. His death was confirmed later. Saila has a daughter from this marriage.

Because of the ongoing conflict in Sri Lanka, Saila and her family had to move. In her new village, she became the leader of a group called Tharaka. This group was started in 2002 by an organization called Shantiham. Tharaka helps people in areas affected by war to feel better emotionally and mentally.

Helping Her Community

Under Saila's leadership, Tharaka has important goals. They want to help widows become stronger and more independent. They also work to improve villages by making education better and building important things like roads and water systems.

Tharaka uses its money to fix wells and build homes for widows and other people who need help. The group has also done a great job helping children who had to leave school because of the war. They help these children return to their studies and even arrange extra classes for them. Tharaka also connects women from different parts of Sri Lanka so they can share their stories and support each other.

A Special Honor

In 2005, Saila Ithayaraj received a big honor. She was one of 1000 women from around the world who were nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. She was also one of 12 Sri Lankan peace activists chosen for this special project called 1000 PeaceWomen. This showed how important her work for peace and women's rights truly is.