Generation Tea

I keep passing a sign that says Coffee Shop, Craft Shop while I am on the bus on my way from Moraketiara to Tangalla. It looked to be a nice spot, settled away from the main road. Today I ventured towards it. As it turns out it is not only coffee and crafts that are housed there; it is a facility offering services to people who have disabilities. It is called Navajeevana Rehabilitation and Social Inclusion Centre. I browsed in the craft shop. All of the crafts are made by people from Sri Lanka who have disabilties. There was some beautiful artwork. I had a cup of tea on a comfortable, shaded veranda.

I learned that organization was formed by a tea plantation owner who wanted to use his success to contribute to human services. His goals were ambitious. Currently, Navajeevana has four schools in Sri Lanka for children with special needs. One was at the site where I was today. Navajeevana also has community based rehabilitation, offering home based rehabilitation for people with physical and mental disabilities and institutional based rehab which includes physiotherapy, prosthetics and orthotics, supportive seating, and audiology services.

Navajeevana recognizes that people may not be born with a disability but may become disabled later in life. I was impressed to see that they are working with people who became disabled during the civil war. They create prothetics and orthotics for them at the center. Also, they have acknowledged the devestation brought upon individuals and families since the tsunami. Navajeevana has recently begun holding day clinics throughout Sri Lanka that support people with mental health issues.

During the first few weeks in Moraketiara, I spent time with a young woman from the village who has special needs. I learned that her special needs have had a very limiting impact on her life. She has never attended school because her family could not afford her transportation to a special needs school. Based on meeting her and hearing of her experience, I had assumed that there were not services for people of Sri Lanka who have disabilties. I was surprised to find that a community for people with disabilties has begun to be established at Navajeevana. Even if it cannot yet reach everyone I was impressed with the scope of the services they offer and by how well they have identified the needs of the people of Sri Lanka.