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Their only home,
their only hope Pix by
Athula Devapriya There's a sense
of finality here. Once you get in, there really is no hope of ever
going back. A bleak prospect, yet, it is also the only hope of survival
that this section of our society will ever have. At Rajagiriya,
by the main Parliament drive, you cannot fail to notice the black
spiky railing and the large Bo-tree in the shade of which are people
in wheelchairs. Outwardly, this place seems welcoming enough - but
if your gaze has ever been drawn towards its name board you'd think
again. "The Victoria
Home for Incurables", the finality of those six words strikes
you. The inmates are here until death do them part. Established
on March 13, 1888, the Victoria Home for Incurables is amongst the
oldest social service organizations in this country. It was founded
together with the With the passing
of Ordinance Number 7 of 1903, a Management Board was appointed.
This board had some of the most prestigious officials in the country
at the time and has so even now. The four ex-officio members include
the Government Agent of the Colombo District, the Director General
of Health Services, the Deputy Secretary to the Treasury and the
Mayor of Colombo. In addition to this 12 others function under the
banner of ex-officio members. The home was
initiated with its sister project at the Eye Hospital itself. "First
there was one ward and seven patients," explains D. K. Thewarapperuma,
the present Superintendent of the Home. "Then the numbers kept
growing and they had to leave the Eye Hospital premises. They first
moved to Campbell Park, and in 1951 shifted to our present premises.
There were only eight wards at the time, we now have 14." Though situated
right next to the main road, none of the hustle and bustle of daily
life pervades through the doors of the home. The inmates live in
a world of their own. The day begins at 4:30 a.m. for the attendants
for warm water has to be prepared for the inmates to wash. By 5:00
a.m. the lights are switched on and the mosquito nets are slowly
rolled up - an innovative alarm indeed. After that
it is a case of preparing for breakfast which is served by 7:00
a.m. Most of the inmates are bedridden due to ailments that render
them immobile. Hence there is no dining hall. Breakfast, lunch and
dinner is served on trolleys that are wheeled in by the attendants.
The public
provides meals. "There are some families which have been donating
meals on a yearly basis for the past 30 years. But the problem is
that our numbers have now grown and the cost of a single meal is
quite exorbitant. One family may find it difficult to bear the burden
alone," Mr. Thewarapperuma says. Meals remain
the top priority. Reminders are sent weeks in advance to ensure
that the inmates will not go hungry. But what do
they do during the rest of the day? "Most of them have developed
a hobby or are quite proficient in a craft. This they exploit and
the products are sold to visitors. We also participate in a sale
of work at least twice a year." We watch in
fascination as 40-year-old Anura's (he is a polio victim) concentration
is put to the test as he moulds stockinet roses for us. The proceeds
of the sales go to the inmates who use this money to purchase other
goods. Nilani, 22,
is a beauty. Her long hair cascades down to her waist creating a
veil of silk. From Kurunegala, she is the home's youngest inmate.
At an age where any other member of her sex would value her privacy,
Nilani has to make do with a bed-toilet. Outside the
ward, Lalitha, 32, from Ragama is putting together a green ladies'
evening bag, colourfully embellished with beads that have been laboriously
attached. Proficient in uttering "Hitiwana Kavi" she's
glad to oblige by performing one for our listening pleasure. Many of the
inmates suffer from genetic disorders. Six siblings suffering from
the same disease were housed at the home until their deaths a few
years ago. One man is welcomed with open arms to a female ward as
his sisters sleep side by side there. University graduates have
no use for their degrees thanks to accidents that have left them
immobile and speechless. W. M. Karunawathie
began working at the home 20 years ago after her husband lost his
job. "The work here is much more than in a hospital. We have
to see to all their needs. It was difficult and hectic initially
but now it's just what I do." According to
Mr. Thewarapperuma attendants such as Karuna are very difficult
to come by. For the remuneration package that is provided is nothing
compared to the work that has to be done on a daily basis. The staff also
includes a matron, an assistant matron, two nurses and 45 minor
staff. They provide round the clock care for the 105 female and
82 male inmates. "There are 90 on the waiting list as we speak,
but the most we can manage at the moment is three more males,"
says Mr. Thewarapperuma. A vacancy will sadly only open up with
the death of one of the inmates. To enter the
home one must obtain an application form. A Government Medical Officer
should endorse this once it has been duly filled. Only then will
the applicant be considered for entry. All inmates are between the
ages of 18 and 55. A lucky few
are visited by their families on a regular basis, but others have
no option but to find solace in each other. Those who are able to
get about are seen plaiting a fellow inmate's hair and getting them
in and out of their beds. Once a death
occurs the family is notified. "Some don't even bother to collect
the body, for there's still a social stigma attached to the physically
handicapped. Since its inception the Victoria Home has had an agreement
with the A. F. Raymond's Funeral Parlour. They provide a free service
when the need arises," says Mr. Thewarapperuma. Like all social
service organisations the Victoria Home too has to meet high utility
bills. Another problem they face at the moment is that of a countless
number of kittens that are dumped daily in the premises. The kittens
are quite adept at ruining the inmates' meals. While pity is what they abhor, the Victoria Home requires help. It's well maintained and run like clockwork, but the beauty of it is not in its walls but in the hearts of all those who have no other option but to call it home. |
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Copyright © 2001 Wijeya Newspapers
Ltd. All rights reserved. |
carry
on with their lives reports Ruwanthi Herat Gunaratne
Eye
Hospital at Lipton Circus by the then Governor of Ceylon Sir Arthur
Gordon to commemorate Queen Victoria's Coronation Jubilee. 
