Hemas Outreach Foundation, the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) arm of the Hemas Group together with Ayati National Centre for Children with Disabilities marked International Day of Down Syndrome at the Ayati Centre in Ragama recently.
Held with the goal of raising awareness about their social movement ‘Eka Se Salakamu (Treat All Alike)’, the event also launched a new song that lends a voice to Down Syndrome children. ‘Eka Se Salakamu’ is aimed at empowering children and families with Down Syndrome by providing a forum to acknowledge their rights and advocate inclusion in society.
Ayati Trust Sri Lanka and Hemas Outreach Foundation Executive Director Shiromi Masakorala said, “The social movement ‘Eka Se Salakamu’ was created to raise awareness for Down Syndrome children, who are often overlooked in society. We as Hemas believe in an inclusive society where no child is left behind and our initiatives at Hemas Outreach Foundation focuses on achieving this goal.”
She said some 20 percent of children in Sri Lanka have some form of a disability. The Ayati Trust Sri Lanka seeks to create an inclusive society to prevent persons with disabilities from facing prejudice and a lack of access to specialised services.
“As we mark World Down Syndrome Day, it is critical that we all work together to break the stigma. As a company that promotes ‘healthful living,’ we look forward to making the world a more inclusive place by creating a platform for families to air their concerns and receive community support. These children have special talents that need to be recognised. We have to celebrate them and treat them as equals,” Masakorala said.
The ceremony was graced with the presence of special guests standing together in support of creating an inclusive world. Past Global President of Rotary International K. Ravindran was the Chief Guest. English, Sinhala and Tamil instructional pamphlets on Down Syndrome were handed over to Social Services Director Chandana Ranaweera Arachchi, which are to be distributed among the 331 Divisional Secretariats in the country.
“From all the facilities I have seen around the world, Ayati ranks as one of the best. It is important that we celebrate the carers; each circumstance has its own group of heroes who we should recognise. The need to integrate children into society is vital. Integrating children into the mainstream enhances everyone’s learning. It fosters a giving atmosphere; expectations increase on both sides - to rise to difficulties, and the other children also rise to become more compassionate,” Ravindran said.