Mapiya Sumithuro Organization:

Making parents better suited for parenthood

Chaminda Perera

The Mapiya Sumithuro Organization since its inception in 1995 has been making a serious effort to make parents better suited for parenthood and motherhood by educating pregnant women and their husbands at Government hospitals.

This organisation comprising the mothers and their husbands who had availed themselves of the services of the Castle Street Hospital for Women is engaged in a mission of promoting loving kindness throughout the country’s hospital system.

The organisation completed the 200th counselling session for good parenting at the Castle Street Hospital for Women on March 15.

Good parenting

Ma Piya Sumithura, a brainchild of Former Senior Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist Dr. L.A.W Sirisena at the Castle Street Hospital for Women has made special focus on promoting of moral values under various programs on the theme of good parenting, good children, a pleasant home, a conducive society, a pleasant and conducive new land.

The Organisation is involved in a range of programs aimed at pregnant women, their husbands, children and the youth. The participants through participation of these programs are able to gather and disseminate information useful to them.

It has taken vast strides forward in making a healthy world without being a burden to the State. The doctors and the professionals engaged in this program have surpassed their duty in educating the public on issues related to health, culture, society etc.

The Parent-Craft project of the organisation covers a wide range of issues such as responsible parenthood, development of foetus, minor ailments and discomforts during the pregnancy, rights and privileges of an expectant mother etc.

The Rainbow World of Children program (Darulowa Mihira) which was launched under Mapiya Sumithuro Organization took pride of place as it has widely focused on children and upbringing of their moral and cultural values.

This half day program focuses special attention on the child’s health development while their parents are also educated on the development of a sustainable environment for the healthy growth of a child on the need of appreciation of Art and selection of activities for children outside the basic curriculum.

Infants

An Infants’ Get-together is another program conducted by this organisation at the Castle Hospital for women. The objective of this program is to bring together the infants a year after birth in Ward 3 of the Hospital along with their parents. This program promotes ties with parents, children and the hospital staff.

Medical specialists also provide necessary instruction to the parents about infants physical and mental development.

The Happy Home (Sonduru Nivasa) project was inaugurated with the objective of getting these children to meet one another and see their home full of happiness.

Happy Home initiative is a potential solution for alleviating conflict in homes which is a pre-requisite for the promotion of mental and physical capabilities of the children.

Religious projects

In addition, the members of the organization organise a series of events aimed at promoting cordial ties among the members. They conduct several shramadana and religious projects every year.

The members with the help of donations from patients provided various diagnostic equipment, bottle coolers for the hospitals. A mobile ultrasound scanner purchased by the organisation was presented to the Hambantota Hospital.

The organization is of the view that the parenthood is more meaningful if due respect is given to the paternity. It pioneers the advocacy of Paternity leave to go parallel with maternity leave.