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| Monday, 21 June 2004 |
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Part with a plot of land and brighten the lives of the mentally disabled by Malini Govinnage What is it like to be a parent of a mentally disabled child? Certainly, the heaviest cross they bear; a millstone they carry throughout their lives. What would the future of their 'special' child be, once they are no more; will he/she be neglected, ill-treated or exploited by his/her own siblings or any other member of the family or by society. These questions constantly worry them.
If there is a place, an institution which take care of them for life it would be the biggest relief these parents would experience in their lifetime. Ceylon Association for the Mentally Retarded (CAMR), Mt. Lavinia an organisation dedicated in helping these special people who need special care, has now drawn a blueprint for a residential home for such persons. The Association appeals to a generous person/group for a donation of a sufficient block of land within the Greater Colombo area, for the purpose.
Ceylon Association for the Mentally Retarded is an association incorporated by an Act of Parliament. Established in 1968, CAMR with its 34 affiliate organisations strewn all over the island has been caring for over 1,500 mentally disabled persons. Although this is a fraction of those Mentally Retarded (MR) amounting to 400,000 of which 60% can be trained to live at least a near normal life, CAMR has been performing yeoman service, when the responsibility of looking after a single such person within a family is taken into consideration. Sumaga Training Centre of CAMR at Mount Lavinia is a rehabilitating centre, as well as a place for orientation of MR persons for life skills, and also a training centre for trainers of them. It has run a vocational training centre for boys and girls for the last 20 years and a residential home for boys over 14 years for the last four years. With nearly three decades of working with MRs, CAMR is of the firm view that if aptitude for skills of MR persons is correctly identified, they can be made to perform certain tasks either singly or in groups under constant supervision of trained instructors. Despite the activities of the Association and its affiliates, there is still a vast backlog of children and adults needing residential care. Many parents and guardians of MRs have approached CAMR to set up a residential home for such persons. These parents/guardians are anxious that after their demise their wards would be left destitute and be victims of unscrupulous friends and relatives who would exploit and ill-treat them. As the wards grow up and mature the strength of parents/guardians weakens. Simultaneously with social commitments, family members have to face social problems that crop up within families, and the provision of protection, love and care which are much needed by the MRs become a matter of grave concern. A residential home for life for MRs will ease the burden of at least a small number of such parents/guardians, if this Home has the real home atmosphere, perhaps better than his/her home, with round the clock supervision and/or medical care. And, as and when needed the constant care of trained carers and teachers who impart them a suitable life skill. For others who are not trainable, there will be constant care and supervision. CAMR is of the view that once this 'Home' is completed, firm with well-cared for inmates, it will trigger a chain reaction for setting up more residential homes, as this would give a reassurance that their wards will not be uncared for, exploited or abused after they are no more. The Residential Home will be operated on a paying or non-paying basis with a cross subsidy from those who can afford to meet the entire cost or at least a part cost of the non-paying occupants. CAMR has already obtained approval from the Ministry of Lands, for a donation of approximately 80 perches of land within the Greater Colombo area to set up the residential home, as well as a training centre. Now, CAMR is seeking assistance from magnanimous Sri Lankans to donate them a block of land that already has a suitable building or with sufficient space for CAMR to start the pilot project. The proposed training hall will be primarily used to conduct classes for training of carers, parents and well-wishers and later it will be developed further as a Community Based Support Centre. Those residing close to the centre could drop in for any assistance in the areas of family management, health and safety, home care, personal hygiene and community integration of MRs. |
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