Outreach ECSAT: Aid for the Totally Impaired

Michael Roberts

There are children who cannot walk and are totally dependent on family and others. When such families are encased in poverty as working-class people, their lot is that much harder. ECSAT assists a few of these families in the locality of Galle Town. I joined Roshan and Kumari Kariyawasam on one of their outreach visits (with Roshan’s daughter Padani as company) one morning in August 2020.

Three of these families were living in the working-class area of Dangedara in Galle town, a rather grim arena which, apparently, turns muddy and awful during the heavy rains. We were spared that experience, but I trust some of the accompanying photographs provides readers with some sense of the place. As it happened, the three families we visited were of different ethnic groups: Tamil. Sinhala and Muslim.

One of these families was apparently Christian (see Pic) and the parents had another child, a young girl who had a squirrel pet on her shoulder (trust across species there).

The snaps will demonstrate the fact of total dependence that fate has foisted on these young beings. ECSAT’s visits provide a semblance of guidance and hope to a family whereby one parent or elder is forced to provide round the clock aid to their afflicted child.

Our fourth visit was to a house at Unawatuna along the road to Matara. Here the father of the household was clearly devoted to his young helpless charge – in fact, he seemed besotted. The mother seemed a cheerful soul and was sturdy in build and capacity if perhaps slow of mind. The paraphernalia and calendars on the wall demonstrated the family’s allegiance to the Rajapaksa party in the general elections just past. Though clearly poor working class, this family house was in a compound with two other houses and where there also was a tuk-tuk and two or three motor bikes – suggesting that these afflicted parents had extended networks to aid them. This family also had ECSAT as occasional boost.

Do assist ECSAT  ………………… DONATIONS:

Any Person wishing to donate monies for ECSAT’s charitable work can deposit their grant in this account

Account Name      :  ECSAT  

Bank                        : Commercial  Bank of Ceylon PLC

Account Number  : 8110028043

Branch                     :    Galle Fort Branch

Bank bank code     : 7056

Bank branch code  : 5

Swift Code            : CCEYLKLX