ASD (Sri Lanka) and Good Partners (Korea) collaborate in combating CKD in Rajarata

Two voluntary organisations – one based in Sri Lanka and the other in the Republic of Korea – have joined hands in providing help and relief to people of Padavi Sripura in the Trincomalee District which is one of the areas worst-affected by the deadly Chronic Kidney Disease. 

The Association for Social Development (ASD), a voluntary organisation registered in Sri Lanka under the Companies Act set up in 1995 by like-minded persons desirous of helping underprivileged sections of society, consists of members drawn largely from retired public servants, international civil servants, bankers and other professionals. It is a non-political and non-profit earning association and undertakes social welfare activity with donations made by its members and other well-wishers. 

The Good Partners of Korea is a global non-governmental organisation registered as an NGO in Sri Lanka to engage in humanitarian activity.

Representatives of these two organisations, having learnt of the plight of the people in Padavi Sripura in the Trincomalee District as a result of kidney disease, made several visits to the area and after discussions with local stakeholders decided three years ago to launch a well-integrated project under the banner ‘Project Hope’ to help the families affected by the kidney disease. 

This was done on the well-founded basis that the kidney disease is a serious health and environment hazard faced by the people in the dry zone of Sri Lanka and tackling it cannot be left alone in the hands of the Government but civil society should also play a meaningful role in the efforts to combat the disease. The two organisations are happy to note that this is a view shared by President Maithripala Sirisena in his message when a special website was inaugurated on the prevention of kidney disease.

During the last three years the two organisations have, with the collaboration of the Pradesiya Sabha of Padavi Sripura, installed 18 Reverse Osmosis (RO) water filtering systems at schools and community centres at a cost of Rs. 10 million for the provision of clean and safe drinking water to the community.  It is considered to be the immediate requirement of the affected people. 

A scholarship program was started by the two organisations to help school-going children of families affected by the disease. So far under this program, financial support is being given to 121 students to continue their education despite the financial and traumatic hardships faced by their families. This program will be further enhanced in the coming years. Last year a computer training institute equipped to train 25 students per session together with a Korean Language Training Centre manned by Korean volunteers were established. 

These two centres will no doubt go a long way in helping the school leavers of the area to equip themselves for new employment opportunities which will lead to the improvement of family incomes in a poverty-ridden area. In recognising the trauma experienced by the kidney patients, their families and those connected and the need to assist them in coping with numerous health, social and economic problems confronted, a counselling program was started jointly with Berendina, another social service organisation active in the district.

The latest initiative of Project Hope was the donation of a new 54-seater bus at a cost of around Rs 5 million for the benefit of the kidney patients in Padavi Sripura and adjoining areas. It will help kidney patients to visit hospitals in distant places like Medawacchiya, Anuradhapura and Kandy for treatment. Some patients in an advanced stage of the disease require dialysis treatment two to three times a week and the lack of a proper and affordable transport system has handicapped timely treatment. The donation of the bus took place at a ceremony at the Padavi Sripura Pradesiya Sabha on the morning of Saturday 5 December. Attendees included delegations from both these organisations, other invitees and the people of the area.

Another important event which took place on this day was the launching of a tree planting project which will assist the enrichment of the environment, income generation and overall sustainable development of the area.

To promote awareness of the kidney disease among the school children an Inter-School Essay and Art competition was held and the winners of this competition were awarded prizes and certificates during this project.

An additional RO filter valued at over Rs. 1 million capable of providing safe drinking water to 500 families was installed at a community centre to coincide with the event. 

The Minister of Lands, Land Development and Road Development of the Eastern Province Ariwathie Galappatthi represented the Chief Minister of Eastern Province Z.A. Nazeer (Eng) who was invited as the Chief Guest.

The ASD and Good Partners with their on-ground experience are convinced that in combatting the chronic kidney disease adopting a holistic approach is most appropriate as the problems confronted by the affected are multi-dimensional and require an all-embracing approach to find effective and lasting solutions. It is hoped that both the governmental and civil society groups will pay adequate attention to this need in implementing their ongoing and future programs in combating kidney disease.