Page 81 - Hemas_Piyawara_Book
P. 81
Namal loved to go to school and dance. He The Hemas Group’s initiative to take under its wing children with disabilities did not
knew on what days there would be school end with the Alokapura Preschool. It set in place the stepping stones for a bigger
project.
and on what days he was on holiday. He As the words of many parents including those of Namal’s Amma and Thaththa
got up early on school days and was very resonated with the Hemas team, the realization dawned that “much more” needed to
be done for these stigmatized children.
excited to leave home for school.
In one emotion-gripped voice, many of them had said that their deepest wish was that
their beloved children would die at least 1 hour before them, usually unthinkable for
Wimalaseeli Navimana any parent. They feared they would be abandoning their children to an unforeseen
Namal’s still tearful mother future without anyone to look after them after they were no more.
“We cannot die in peace as we do not know the dark future that would engulf them,”
they had added. Therefore, it was best if the children died before them, they felt.
Heartbreakingly, this wish has come true in the case of Namal. Struggling against severe
odds to do their best for Namal, his parents had to bid him a permanent goodbye as
th
he breathed his last on April 7 , 2016. Namal was 20 years old and in the prime of his
youth.
“What more could we do?” This was what the Hemas Group pondered and through
its concern was born – AYATI, Sri Lanka’s first National Centre for Children with
Disabilities vested with the public, in 2020.
73
