Ishan is just 10 years old. He was born with cerebral palsy, a condition that is continually deteriorating and has robbed him of the ability to freely stand, walk, or even complete the simple tasks most of us take for granted. He lives in Welimada, deep in the rural highlands of Sri Lanka, where opportunities are scarce and survival is a daily struggle.

Ishan’s family is living in extreme poverty in a small, unfinished home. His father once worked as a stone mason, but when a cement wall collapsed on him, his life changed forever. Despite surgery, he could never return to heavy labour. Today, with his own disability, he fights to support his wife and four children by selling lottery tickets on crowded buses barely earning enough to put food on the table. His mother stays home to care for the children, and his siblings aged 12 and 15, struggle to continue their studies under these crushing circumstances.

But what makes their suffering unbearable is something most of us could never imagine: for over a year, this family has lived without a functioning toilet. During the rainy season, the pit collapsed, leaving them with nothing. Every time Ishan needs to use the bathroom, he must endure the humiliation and pain of being carried to a neighbour’s toilet. For a child with cerebral palsy, this is not only degrading, it is dangerous. His father, despite his own injuries, has been trying to mould cement blocks with the children in the hope of rebuilding it. But the reality is, without help, they cannot afford the materials or labour to restore even this most basic human dignity.

This is not just about a toilet. It is about dignity. It is about health. It is about giving Ishan the chance to live with safety and respect. No child anywhere in the world should be denied access to a toilet. No parent should be left helpless, watching their child suffer for want of something so basic.

This is where we must step in. The GR Foundation, an Australian registered not-for-profit, together with the Suriya Foundation in Sri Lanka, has launched Project Perseverance to rebuild this family’s toilet and ensure it is accessible and safe for Ishan. But we cannot do it without you.

Your donation, no matter how big or small is a chance to give Ishan the dignity he deserves, and to remind this family that the world has not forgotten them.

We greatly appreciate your support for together we can change Ishan's story.