Who we are

The Centre for Handicapped is a facility which provides prosthetic and orthotic devices and rehabilitation services to physically handicapped people from all over the island enabling them to live full and productive lives. Our services are free of charge and we extend a helping hand to everyone who comes to the Centre irrespective of race, religion, ethnicity, caste and class,or gender. Our services include awareness raising and basic business education sessions for recipients and their families to help them improve their livelihoods as well as health camps and water and sanitation projects for near-by communities. Around twenty poor children receive annual scholarships that supplement the country’s free education system and pay mainly for transport and equipment not covered by the state.

History

The Centre For Handicapped was first set up in 1971 and was known as “Kandy Orthopedic Workshop”. It was supported by the National Institute of Handicapped Research (NIHR)–a U.S. based organisation – and the Ministry of Health of Sri Lanka. Once the support of the NIHR ended the production of limbs and orthopedic devices began to decline. In an effort to safeguard the Centre and its work in the Hill Country, the Colombo Friend In Need Society stepped in to provide support but financial instability forced several changes of location and prevented the Centre from reaching its full potential.

In 1992, thanks largely to the efforts of two leading figures in Kandy –Canon Ratnayake and Mr. T. R. R. Rajan – the Centre was revived and found a new, permanent home at No 228, Digana Road, Kundasale. It was built on state land provided on a long lease by the then President of Sri Lanka the Hon. R. Premadasa. Support in building and equipping the Centre came from the Norwegian Development Agency (NORAD) and the Rotary Club of Kandy together with the International Rotary Movement, Rotary Clubs in Sweden and USAID. The Centre was opened by the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, Hon. D. B. Wijetunge on the 26th of September 1992. In 2001 the Centre ceded from the Colombo Friend In Need Society and started to operate independently.

Vision and Mission

To be a centre of excellence in the provision of prosthetic and orthotic devices and rehabilitation services and a learning organisation providing educational and livelihood support that empowers communities socially and economically and contributes to their well being.

To enable persons who are physically handicapped irrespective of race, religion, ethnicity, caste and class or status, gender and help to lead near normal lives through provision of advanced prosthetic and orthotic devices and rehabilitation services.

Provision of education and awareness for the handicapped people to change livelihoods and social lives by reaching their full normal potentials.

How can you become a partner?

If you know of any underprivileged people in Sri Lanka in need of artificial limbs or other mobility devices, please let us know so that we can help them. You can also support our work by donating a limb or  by contributing to our Endowment Fund in your own name or in that of a loved one, or by supporting our work in cash or in kind.

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