Page 148 - Hemas_Piyawara_Book
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Kosala’s paintings were on cards that Walking the talk, the Hemas Group had employed Kosala 5 years ago. His mother,
Hemas used to raise funds to feed milk to Suvineetha Attanayake who lives with her husband and Kosala in the Welewatte
Gamey in Wellampitiya says that their son is a winner as he is very good at dancing,
the baby elephants of Uda Walawe’s ‘Ath painting, handicrafts and cleaning. He helps her by cutting up the vegetables when
she is cooking and has tenderly looked after his sister’s 5 children. They put him into
Athuru Sevana’ (Elephant Transit Home). Bus 166 and he travels alone to work, walking a short distance once he alights, to the
Now that my husband cannot work as he Hemas offices. Once he clocks out, someone puts him on the bus for the return journey.
is ill, we are totally dependent on Kosala’s Suvineetha says she took him to school and trained him, having undergone training
on how to handle this special child. With much pride, she adds that he has won many
salary. Hemas ekata godak pinsidda awards and prizes for his abilities.
wenna oney (many blessings on Hemas). Back on the day of the launch of Eka Se Salakamu in 2021, beautiful little girls in lovely
dresses and smart little boys in nice suits were present at the AYATI Centre which took
on a festive air, with bunches of balloons all in blue and yellow.
The day was a double celebration with the opening of the ‘My World’ Ideation Zone
Suvineetha Attanayake and play area at AYATI, where children and their stressed carers can let down their
Kosala's mother hair.
The very heart of the My World Ideation Zone is art therapy and children and parents
may draw, write or create with clay, to their hearts’ content after which their work
would be placed on display.
From the zone, whenever the children wish they may step into a manicured garden in
the embrace of long and colourful ‘pencils’ housing a play kade (boutique) and a play
house. It enables therapists to observe the children’s natural behaviour in an outdoor
setting for better delivery of crucial interventions.
rd
On December 3 , the same year, acclaimed singers Bathiya and Santhush joined
forces with the Hemas Outreach Foundation to launch the hauntingly moving
song ‘AYATI’ on World Disability Day with its theme ‘Leadership and participation
of persons with disabilities toward an inclusive, accessible and sustainable post-
COVID-19 world’.
140 Hemas Piyawara - A Journey to the Future
