The Disability Management Project
Commenced in March 2015 with the sponsorship of Sligro partnering with Liliane Fonds, the project focuses upon developing the human resources required to manage the disabled children and their families in the Golden Valley by training the selected Bogawantalawa welfare staff in the area of management and rehabilitation of disabled children. This project is conducted with the final objective of enabling Bogawantalawa to establish and manage its own disability program. MENCAFEP in Nuwara Eliya and Navajeevana in Tangalle are organizations specialized in the rehabilitation of disabled children who are also a partner organization of Liliane Fonds on this project, implementing the trainings sessions.
Milestones for Bogawantalawa Tea Estates PLC and Lanka Mother and Child Support Foundation on this initiative.
- This project has managed to change the perception of the community with regard to disabilities within this community.
- We have managed to bring out almost all of the disabled children out of hiding and at present we are caring for 136 children and youth combining both regions.
- 2 boys from Loinorn division have already commenced to work with the company after rehabilitation and few children are being trained to make and sell paper bags for shops.
- Noticeable changes in behavioural pattern and improvement of the differently able children we care for and we are currently conducting a survey on statistics pertaining to this.
- Four Child development centres have been upgraded to accommodate the all-inclusive education model.
- Networking has been made with Special Schools and other stakeholders by the trained child development officers and estate medical assistants to approach for assistance when required.
- Government sponsorships (monthly payments) have been obtained and provided for 2 children and 2 others have been enrolled in special schools.
- The disability management has now become a day to day function for all the estates rather than perceiving it as a special project and monthly reporting is duly being conducted on their progress.
