Help Shanika Restore Her Smile and Rebuild Her Life

My name is Shanika Yapabandara, and I am 35 years old from Sri Lanka.

Over the past few years, I have gone through severe financial difficulty. I tried to start small businesses to survive, but without proper capital and support, they failed. Each failure left me with more debt and less confidence.

Recently, I lost my front teeth. This has been one of the most painful experiences of my life. I feel ashamed to smile, I avoid talking to people, and it has affected my mental health deeply. Something as simple as eating, speaking, or laughing now reminds me of how much I have lost.

Because of my financial situation, I cannot afford private dental treatment. But I still dream of having my smile back — not for beauty, but for dignity and confidence.

I am asking for help not only to fix my teeth, but also to rebuild my life.

I have a strong plan to start a small rug tufting business from home. Rug tufting is a handmade art where custom rugs are created using yarn and a tufting gun. These rugs are popular for bedrooms, gaming setups, and home décor. With this business, I can earn a stable income using my hands and creativity.

The funds raised will be used for:

• Dental treatment to replace my missing front teeth

• Basic medical and travel expenses

• A tufting gun and rug-making tools

• Yarn, fabric, backing cloth, and glue

• Materials to make and sell my first collection of rugs

This business will allow me to support myself with dignity and not depend on donations forever.

I am not asking for a luxury life. I am asking for a chance to smile again, work again, and live with self-respect.

Every donation, even a small one, brings me one step closer to standing on my own feet again.

I will share photos of my dental treatment and my rug-making progress so everyone can see how their support is changing my life.

If you cannot donate, please consider sharing my story.

From my heart, thank you for reading and for caring.
— Shanika