Association for Intellectually Disabled Sri Lanka (AIDSL), has been approached by the parents/guardians of such persons to set up a Community Based Support Centre/Residential Home for persons, who after the demise of the parents/guardians will be left destitute and be victims of unscrupulous friends and relatives who would rather exploit their wards and even ill treat them. Many parents/guardians feel that their wards need constant caring, love and attention throughout their lives. As the wards grow up and mature in age, the strength of the parents/guardians weakens, and also due to social problems that crop up within the families, the provision of protection, love and care becomes a grave concern.

Our Association has in response to this appeal decided to set up such a center whereby their anxieties will be relieved. The Centre would be a `Pilot Project’ to serve as a model for future development of the concept.

The proposed Services will be based on the philosophy that all people with mental retardation and or development disabilities should live as independently as they are able to. For some, that may mean living in an apartment or house of their own and receiving only minimal assistance from Carers. Others may require 24-hour supervision and/or medical care. Our focus is to provide for each person the most independent and personally satisfying `Home’ environment’.

AIDSL cannot cater to the large number of persons who are in need of this service, but can trigger a chain reaction for setting up more centers to those needing reassurance that their wards will not be uncared for or exploited and abused. The residential home can be operated on a paying and/or non-paying basis with cross subsidy from those who can afford to meet the entire cost or at least part cost of the non-paying occupants.

AIDSL has been most fortunate in receiving 120 perches (Approx. 3000 Sq M) as an outright gift from a French Voluntary Group, Chethana who ran a day school at Gonapola. The Institution is named “Sithum Pathum”

The AIDSL Care Centre pilot project is located amidst the tranquil and serene surrounds of a place which is within 25km from Colombo. The Residents will be housed in two storey buildings with ample facilities for recreation and pre-vocational training. An open terrace would surround the residential areas and overlook the picturesque surroundings of the site. The services provided would be free of charge but would be supported by voluntary contributions, regardless of one’s race, religion, language or status in society.

The Association for the Intellectually Disabled has engaged the services of an Architect to draw up the plans and the necessary governmental approvals have been obtained. The layout Plan of the Residential Accommodation is shown below:  

Prepared by Ranjit Thabrew

–Hon. Treasurer,The Association for the Intellectually Disabled 

Contact details –      0777 961913     mrthab@sltnet.lk