IntelScoops

Bandarawela | August 5, 2025

What began as a well-meaning social media post highlighting a child’s effort to support his family by selling dodol in Bandarawela has unexpectedly left a vulnerable household exposed to public scrutiny and institutional attention, raising concerns over digital ethics and long-ignored social hardship.

The child, a 12-year-old student of Kahagolla Vidyalaya in Diyatalawa, has for months been quietly selling traditional sweets—mainly dodol—made by his grandmother, Aisha Beebi, 54, in a bid to help her earn enough to feed and educate him and his younger sister, aged 10. Both children were abandoned at a very young age and have since been raised solely by Beebi, who returned to Sri Lanka after years of working in the Middle East as a domestic worker.

“I never asked him to do it,” said Beebi, speaking from her modest home in Kahagolla. “He saw I was struggling and wanted to help. He would carry a few boxes of dodol and quietly go into town.”

The viral Facebook post, shared last week by a passerby, featured a photograph of the boy on the street with his sweets—intended as a gesture of support and to rally public assistance. However, the unexpected attention has had unintended consequences.

“After the post went viral, everyone—from the media to government officers—started coming here. It’s been too much,” Beebi said. “I’ve been sick for days now, with my blood pressure dropping and sharp pain in my stomach. We just wanted to live quietly.”

Beebi suffers from chronic low blood pressure and has previously required emergency blood transfusions. Now responsible for every aspect of her grandchildren’s wellbeing—schooling, food, medicine—she says the attention has made it harder to carry on.

Authorities have since stepped in. Officers from the Uva Provincial Department of Probation and Child Care Services visited the home, led by Commissioner E.K.V.T. Edirisuriya. The grandmother was firmly instructed to ensure the boy stops selling in public and instead focuses on his education.

The officials also submitted a formal request to the Presidential Secretariat, asking for immediate welfare support to ease the family’s financial burden. The local Grama Niladhari has provided the children with school supplies, but Beebi questions how long such support will last.

Public reaction to the episode has been sharply divided. Some praised the viral post for drawing attention to a family in need. Others questioned the ethics of photographing a minor and exposing his identity without consent.

“I understand they wanted to help,” said Beebi. “But now we’re facing more problems. We are even more vulnerable.”

The case has highlighted not only the challenges facing low-income caregivers—especially grandmothers acting as primary guardians—but also the complex moral terrain of social media-driven charity. Experts have called for stronger safeguards when sharing content involving children, especially those from underprivileged backgrounds.

For now, Beebi is focused on getting through each day. “I came back to Sri Lanka because my grandchildren needed me. I gave everything I had to build this home. Now I only pray that I can stay healthy enough to see them through school.”