By Shakira Shareef   The CareStation charity organisation is a household name, and so is Razni Razick. She has been caring for broken, less fortunate, and financially-challenged families and children for over 18 years. Looking after orphans and caring for less fortunate families is not for the weak of heart, and neither is going through Razni Razick’s pinned Instagram posts. I was in tears going through them, and if you peruse her Instagram feed, brace yourself to let it cut your heart. Let’s talk to Razni Razick – a most humble individual who has bagged several awards for her social services.   You’ve done this all your life – why do you do what you do and what makes you love doing it?   I am someone who always wears my heart on my sleeve. For as long as I can remember, I have known that I wanted to make a difference in the world. Social work is something I was just drawn to. My parents were very generous and loving, so this type of work was what I saw growing up. However, I often think that there was not just one person, motivation or desire that drew me to social work – there were many. I started my journey as a volunteer and found the experience very humbling. My work with the homeless gave me great insight into the people most in need. In my earlier years, I was always interested in justice and opportunity. I felt very strongly about people being disadvantaged as a result of them being seen as different and being discriminated against. I wanted to help protect people’s rights and dignity, particularly those most vulnerable in our society. I also wanted to be available to people in need, provide emotional support to those who are struggling and be a voice for the quiet voices among us. Although being in this field has shown me some of the most upsetting sides of humanity, and there have been times when it seemed hard to remove myself from it, working every day with the abused and downtrodden has also got me seeing the world through the eyes of gratitude. I became incredibly grateful for all I have and realised that true wealth does not come from material things. Working with and for the people I work with and helping them realise their true potential, and seeing them break out of the cycle of poverty and do well in life is what keeps me engaged with my work.   CareStation does so much that I can’t describe it in a few sentences, but our readers would like to know about it from you.   CareStation is a non-profit, non-political, non-religious charity organisation working towards community development and social welfare. Our mission is to provide long-term sustainable solutions for low-income families and communities. We strive towards alleviating poverty through advancing development and empowering individuals, families, and communities through livelihood support, educational scholarships, orphan sponsorships, disaster relief, food for the needy, water and sanitation, community engagement, and advocacy. Our projects are ongoing and carried out in 22 districts throughout the year. We are a wholly volunteer-powered organisation with a team of 10 core members and over 365 volunteers from across the country. As we reflect upon where we started as a grassroots organisation and where we are now, we are truly humbled. Over the years, CareStation has grown to what it is today. We currently focus on empowering, enriching and enlivening individuals and diverse communities all around the country through our projects. We’ve had the opportunity to work on over 200 projects in just a couple of years, covering 22 districts, projects worth millions of rupees, and thousands of children and families whose lives are now more filled with hope and whose futures are more stable because of CareStation. We’ve earned the right to be heard by influential decision-makers at the government level and be recognised as operational partners for UNHCR.   As a woman, it’s not easy to be on the field even though you want to help people, but I have read your posts and seen profound bravery. How did you come this far? What’s your support system?   I come from a family of civil servants. My father is a civil engineer, and my mother is a lawyer. My mother is definitely my role model. She was always a working woman and someone who was independent and cared about her career but also had balance. She was the first lady lawyer in Gampola and a very strong advocate. She made a name for herself in a male-dominated field and I saw firsthand the impact she had on the community, the respect she garnered, and the influence she had on the lives of many people. Having watched her in the courtroom for many years, I became inspired to do something that I love just as much as she does. I could see that the people my mother was helping were very upset – they were very scared and they were really looking for someone to help them. That impacted me and that’s what I’m doing now or trying to do – help people. I want my clients to know that I care about them and that I will do my best to help them. My mother taught me that working with families and helping them navigate through the absolute worst time of their lives is very rewarding. I have one brother who is also a lawyer. My boost of confidence comes from their immense support for my career path which is vastly different from their own. Today, my biggest source of power and motivation is my husband, a business analyst by profession who takes part in all my activities and helps to reach out to a wider spectrum of society. With his dedicated support and encouragement, I am able to walk through walls of adversity and overcome multitudes of barriers in my way.   Children are one of the most vulnerable segments in Sri Lanka, and the current situation is only making it worse. What can be done to make things better for them?   The dire economic situation, combined with pandemic-related lockdowns, has increased tensions and anxiety within many households. As evidenced by multiple recent reports, the ongoing economic crisis in the country is having a serious impact on children’s development, protection, and wellbeing. I strongly believe that protecting children from the impact of poverty is one of the most economically and socially sound investments Sri Lanka can make to support the country’s development and economic stability. Providing families with assistance to ensure that they not only meet the survival needs of their children, but can also afford other basic services to ensure the wellbeing of their children is paramount.   This piece alone is not enough to cover everything, so where can our readers learn more about your organisation, and how can they contribute?   We can be reached through www.carestation.lk or other social media platforms. The projects we are currently focused on are the Crisis Relief Aid initiatives we are running, which aim to provide dry rations for families affected the most due to the current economic crisis. There is also the school meal programme where we sponsor a nutritious meal daily for three chosen schools in Kandy where children from poverty-stricken families attend. CareStation set up its Care Kitchen initiative two weeks ago, through which we provide a stall serving hot food packs for free around Colombo. We hope to continue Care Kitchen across many more parts of the country, thus helping to provide relief to so many who have been forced to forego their meals in light of the devastating economic crisis.   Bank account details   Name: CareStation Account number: 8901008017 Bank: Commercial Bank Swift code: CCEYLKLX Branch: Head Office Branch code: 7056001 Deposit machine type: Savings For international transfers, full bank name: Commercial Bank of Ceylon PLC For updates : Whatsapp: carestation.lk/whatsapp Instagram: @carestation.lk Facebook: @carestation.lk Group: goo.gl/GXsSHj LinkedIn: CareStation.lk Twitter: @CareStationLk Website: www.carestation.lk   PHOTOS © RAZNI RAZICK Author description: Shakira Shareef is a freelance writer hailing from Kandy, Sri Lanka. She writes on various topics and is passionate about Sri Lankan travel, culture, and lifestyle. IG: @writershakira   LinkedIn: Shakira Shareef