On the morning of Wednesday 9 April, you will be allocated into one of two groups. The two groups will go separately to visit two different organisations providing services to people with disability. They have been chosen to give you a first-hand experience of Sri Lankan bodies seeking to achieve equity for people with disabilities and people from marginalised communities. The two organisations are:
MJF Foundation centre:
The following is taken from the MJF’s website
Our flagship centre, the MJF centre located in Katubedde, Moratuwa is currently our largest and most vibrant centre invested in bringing positive change to people’s lives. Established in 2010 on the site of a former clothing factory, the centre is now an urban, verdant oasis – both literally and figuratively.
Dilmah Conservation’s (DC) urban arboretum featuring 550 native trees creates Sri Lanka’s first urban arboretum and creates a living laboratory for the young and curious. Similarly, the DC Sustainable Agricultural Resource Station (DCSARC) acts as a resources centre and nursery promoting organic, indigenous and nutritious food for healthy living. The newly restored Centre for Innovation and Design promises to act as a hive of thought technology and creativity with its inaugural project a collaboration with the University of Moratuwa on a new technology to recycle paper. Finally, the agricultural heritage centre show cases Sri Lanka’s rich traditional farming culture featuring farming and household implements used for centuries.
The centre commenced as a place for low income families from the surrounding area to send their children for educational support. From there grew the need to address the needs of children with disabilities. Therapies, counseling and schooling remained out of reach for many.
The Rainbow Centre was thus conceived and takes in children with Down’s Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, other Neurological and learning disorders. Today, the programme provides a haven for children not accepted by other similar schools due to the severity of their disability. Students arrive in the morning and return to their families or caregivers by early afternoon.
The Women’s Development Programme began as awareness sessions for the mums of the Moratuwa Centre. Little did we recognize the psychosocial value of giving women an opportunity to not only increase their skills in cookery, sewing and nutrition but the power of peer counseling.
Vocational Training evolved from carpentry lessons and the establishment of the Curtiss Institute of Design for courses in MS Office and Graphic Design and finally to the Empower Culinary and Hospitality School which commenced operations in October 2016.
Our latest addition to the Centre is a pilot catering to the youth. MJF Youth serves as a meeting place for the sharing of ideas, awareness, resources, job banks and small grants for young people aged 16-30. It seeks to promote opportunities, youth wellbeing and a forum especially for youth at risk and those who stop formal education following their O’levels.
Ayati National Center for Children with Disabilities
The following is taken from the Ayati Foundation’s website:
Ayati, Sri Lanka’s first “National Centre for Children with Disabilities’’, has been in operation since January 2020 at the new purpose built facility.
The Ayati Center is located at Ragama, in the premises of the Faculty of Medicine University of Kelaniya. It serves all Sri Lankan children free of charge.
As at Dec 2021 over 7000 children are registered with Ayati and approx. 175-200 children from across the country visit the centre on daily basis for support with many new files being added every day
The Ayati Center mprovides multi-disciplinary clinical operations, extending services to all types of disability (physical & mental) with initial screening by medical professional and interventions that include speech & language therapy, audiology, physiotherapy, family, occupational therapy etc.
The centre consists of a state-of-the-art audiology unit, Sri Lanka’s first sensory room, a multi-disciplinary training centre, and research and development facilities, in addition to other clinical support services. Approx. 200 undergraduates currently use the facilities for their clinical training programs.
The clinics are conducted by highly qualified professionals attached to the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Kelaniya. The centre also conducts training programs for community paediatricians, parents, caregivers, teachers etc. whilst providing tele-health services to families struggling with COVID-19 related travel restrictions.
The professional services are provided by the Faculty of Medicine – Kelaniya and the Ministry of Health whilst the operations of the centre including administration and maintenance is funded by the Ayati Trust Sri Lanka.
