Victoria home, a shelter to physically disabled

 Sumudu Siriwardena
 01/09/2012
 post 3

Saturday 1st of September 2012,we went to visit Victoria home at Rajagiriya.As we set foot inside we felt something different about this place.The garden was clean,tidy and well maintained.There was a huge statue of Lord buddha in the center of the garden.As we enter the main hallway there was a beautiful fish tank filled with lots of fish in one corner and a glass cabinet which was filled with soft toys and some handcrafts in the opposite corner which we later learn as made by some of the inmates.

We were warmly welcomed by house director Mr Thewarapperuna & he gave us a overall introduction about the history of the home,its staff,funds,the process of admission.its inmates and about the facilities which been provided to them.

Victoria home was established in 1988 near the Eye hospital of Colombo by the governor of Ceylon Sir Arthur Gorden in order to celebrate the coronation jubilee of queen Victoria and then been shifted to its present place in1960.

Currently there are 175 inmates,99 females& 76 males whom were taken care by the director, a sister,a matron, 2 nurses and attendants who are consist of 50 people all together

It is under government but not under any ministry or department.It is been maintained by funds they are annually receiving from the government & donations from charitable organization and indivituals.Currently even though they do not accept new patients due to lack of space,still there s a waiting listof 15-20 patients to get admitted here.They are only recruiting candidates who are physically hanicapd by birth,accident or illness between the age 18-55.Addmission is by filling a form which can be collected from the office and should handover again  to director which is certified by "Grama niladari" and a government doctor on the patients medical condition.Then its been sent to ministry of health services from where most suitable patients are selected.

Inmates are provided with food,clothes and shelter free of charge andattend to their medical conditions weekly,but not having a physiotherapist or rehabilitation programms are few of the drawbacks we have seen during our visit.They have a special vehicle to take inmates to a hospital in a case of an emergency.Anual 3 day trips,a sportday organized by the lions club,going to cinema,reading books and newspapers,playing games are few of the special activities they participate in.
 
About 75 inmates are engaged in making of handicrafts which they have got a special opportunity to sell them at Hammedias Crescat branch and the proceeds are distributed among themselves.

After listening to the introductory lecture we were given the opportunity to talk to some of the inmates.Most of them were severely handicapped and some of them were mentally retarded as well.Most of them were in wheelchairs,and some of them were bound to their beds,but surprisingly still there spirits were high.They welcomed us warmly and talked to us quite happily some of them even volunteered to show us around.They told us about their life stories,sang for us,some of them showed us the soft toys they are working on and some of us even had a chance to listen to a 'sasthara' from one of the inmates.

At the end of the day we left Victoria home  with mixed feelings.i felt quite sorry for them and at the same time truly appreciate the strength some of them display by accepting their disabilities and facing the life with courage.............

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