Twenty four year old Chandra Mohan was once a happy young man who lost both his legs to a tragic railway accident and is immobilised. He is desperate, helpless and is compelled to seek public help. Is there any hope for him?

In Sri Lanka, the number of handicapped people are rapidly increasing. Some of the causes for these are accidents, ignorance, negligence , carelessness and of course ill - luck. Travelling in crowded buses and trains on foot boards, ignoring shards of glass pieces and thorns that get into the feet or worse still, using rusty blades or knives to remove these thorns or pieces of glass which could make wounds septic leading to gangrene and eventually amputation. Some lose a limb due to illness such as cancer. Then we also have many war victims with one or both legs lost.

Most of these victims belong to the poor class of society, needing medical care, sympathy and encouragement. Positively helping those unfortunate individuals, making their lives more bearable and enabling then to live their life to the fullest.

The Centre for Handicapped in Kandy plays an important and a silent role. The Centre is definitely a beam of hope for those who otherwise could never dream of walking again. The Centre’s aim is to provide artificial limbs to all who need them, irrespective of caste, creed, race, social status or any other man created distinctions. In addition to providing artificial limbs, the Centre sets about creating awareness.

Orthopaedically (surgical correction of deformities in bone or muscles ) handicapped persons, the Centre extends adequate medical attention and most importantly tender loving care. The Centre believes that its not just the body that needs care and healing, but also the soul and spirit of the individual involved. Many of these patients need emotional support and individual attention and the feeling no one will ‘look down’ on them.

The present Centre for the Handicapped was started in 1971 and known as the "Colombo Friend -In -Need " society -Kandy branch. Now its has its own identity as the "Centre for Handicapped" also called the " Jaipur Foot Programme" located in the Digana Rd, Kundasale, Kandy. The centre affords a pleasant atmosphere for the weakened souls who come there to start their healing process. The labour of love of the dedicated team of individuals and professionals, make the Centre an efficiently managed vibrant unit and a model rehabilitation centre for all who seek help.

Over 4000 amputees from various parts of the country and from different walks of life have benefited from the Centre’s unique limb programme. There has been a gradual increase in the quality and the quantity in many aspects like the fabrication of limbs, which is no ‘piece of cake’ and the technology used along with organisational management.

From the traditional aluminium limbs to the new aged exoskeleton limbs, a team of prosthetic and orthopaedic professionals from India , has improved the quality of the limbs. The Centre is fully equipped with its own manufacturing unit, which provides custom made artificial limbs to suit particular needs, providing the user with a more ‘user friendly’ limb. There are four technicians working in the manufacturing unit , with three undergoing training in Cambodia. Once the patient is fitted with the artificial leg, he is taught to rehabilitate himself to his new life with the new leg.

The dream and goal of the dedicated team at the Centre for Handicapped is an OPD unit which could cater to the changing needs of the approximately 60,000 amputees present in Sri Lanka. The rehabilitation unit would contain Physiotherapists, Prosthetists, Orthopaedic Surgeons, Medical Social Workers and Occupational Therapists. Overall, the Centre is trying its very best to cater to the needs of all amputees in Sri Lanka and maintain high standards.

However, the tragedy is that most often the amputees are too poor to pay even a part of the cost of the limbs they are to be fitted. USAID through MOTIVATION an UK based NGO is currently supporting the centre to improve the quality of it’s products and services. The funds from the government for this good cause is not much.

Hence, the Centre offers an unique opportunity for any generous minded individual, group or corporate entity to support its very worthy and humanitarian cause by lending a hand to help those who can’t walk, to walk again and lead a near normal life.

Imagine seeing someone come into the Centre with despair and watching them leave with hope. This could certainly be the most rewarding experience ever -ever more so, when you know, that you did your part in bringing a new lease of life to another individual, who is just as special as you.

Mr.Shamil Peiris, chairmen Centre for the Handicapped request from the general public to Help the Centre make life meaningful to those unfortunate persons who have suffered the trauma of losing a limb, but have all the right to be able to lead a normal life, with the handicap minimised or eliminated altogether. He also stated " Don’t hesitate to help someone who needs your help. You’re not just doing it for them, you’re doing it for yourself".

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