Sri Lanka
A country scarred by civil war and the tsunami
© DLVT/Handicap International |
Since 2004, two major events have increased the vulnerability of people with disabilties in Sri Lanka. In December 2004, a tsunami ravaged part of the country's coastline, killing 30,000 people and displacing 800,000. The affected areas will suffer the effects of this disaster for years to come.
In August 2006, armed conflict broke out again in the north and east of the country, claiming 4,000 victims. While providing an immediate and adapted response to these events, Handicap International also supports projects to ensure better long-term care for disabled people. Handicap International's overall objective is to improve the quality of life of people with disabilities and/or injured people and their families, whatever the context, by supporting projects focusing on the physical rehabilitation and social inclusion of people with disabilities and their active participation in the country's social life.
Key Facts - Sri Lanka
• Population: 20.4 million
• Household Consumption: $2,150 per year
• Life Expectancy: 74 years
• Human Development: ranked 91st out of 169 countries
Source: UNDP HDR 2011
Increased support for civilian populationsThe fighting in the north of Sri Lanka ended in May 2009, leaving the area densely populated with displaced persons living in extremely precarious conditions. Handicap International is already in place working with injured people.
Our projects
 | National prosthetics and orthotics workshop for children with disabilities
In 2008, we set up a prosthetics and orthotics workshop in the only paediatric hospital in the country, Lady Ridgeway Hospital, following a 3-year agreement with the government. Since then we have focused on capacity building and staff training to improve the operation of the services. Since July 2009, the workshop has been fully operational, and so far has supported more than 1,000 disabled children. |
| Rehabilitation centres
We set up a centre in Batticaloa in 2004 to provide rehabilitation services including physiotherapy, prosthetics and orthotics and occupational therapy. This successful project is now in the process of being handed over to the teaching hospital in Batticaloa, which should be completed by the end of 2012. |
| Rehabilitation centres for people with disabilities
Since 2007, we have been working to support disabled people and those injured in the conflict in the north of the country. As of January 2010, a post-emergency project has been set up in Vavuniya, Mannar and Kilinochchi. Activities include assessing physical rehabilitation needs, providing rehabilitation services (including physiotherapy, occupational therapy and prosthetics and orthotics), providing advice and training to disabled people and their families on disability, preventive care and physical rehabilitation, and providing access to and provision of assistive aids (wheelchairs, crutches). |
 | Centres for Accessibility, Monitoring and Information on Disability (CAMID)
Aims to ensure the social inclusion and the participation of people with disabilities in society through the creation of disability centres. Since these centres were set up, they have implemented activities to improve the living conditions of people with disabilities in partnership with local and disabled people’s organisations. Based in the East (districts of Ampara, Batticaloa and Trincomalee) and the South (district of Hambantota) of Sri Lanka.
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| Socio-economic empowerment
This project is supporting the recovery effort of communities affected by the conflict in Northern and Eastern areas of Sri Lanka. It aims to improve living conditions, provide access to sustainable livelihoods, and ensure peaceful cohabitation amongst people living in camps for internally displaced persons, their host communities and repatriates from Northern and Eastern regions. Handicap International is responsible for the inclusion of people with disabilities in all activities implemented. Project in partnership with ACTED, Deutsche Welthungerhilfe and the Sewalanka Foundation. |
