Our Motto: “Waste Not Want Not”
Our Mission: A humanitarian service dedicated to serve the disabled with Loving Kindness.
Meththa Foundation was inaugurated in Birmingham in 1995 with the sole purpose of serving disabled people in Sri Lanka with loving kindness, without any bias or exceptions. We obtained Charitably status in the UK in 2010. (Reg Number 1135141). In 2015, we registered Meththa Rehabilitation Foundation Guarantee Ltd (Reg No GL2162) in Sri Lanka as a non profit organisation to facilitate the work locally. In February 2017, we registered as a NGO in Sri Lanka (Reg Number L157505.)
Operating a prosthetic orthotic service according to modern international standards, we have achieved the status of a premier service for Sri Lankan civilians within a short space of six years. We assess on average a thousand amputee people every year at our two centres, providing new artificial limbs for approximately half of that population.
Our modular prostheses are custom built using excellent quality recycled components donated by many rehabilitation centres and prosthetic companies in the UK. We have a very successful research and development programme which enables us to fabricate some of the key components ourselves.
Our clinical and workshop facilities
Mahawa
Our main clinic and workshop is located in a purpose built site at Mahawa hospital grounds in Kurunegala District of Sri Lanka. It has all the facilities for a comprehensive modern prosthetic and orthotic practice. We offer a limited posture and mobility service as well. Our own vulcanised rubber feet and some components are fabricated at this site in addition to customised plastic and composite prosthetic sockets.
Our clinical staff at Mahawa include a British graduate prosthetist orthotist, two locally trained prosthetic technicians and three general technicians. They are supported by three administrative personnel.
We are open on all working days and Saturday mornings to operate an open access service, free of charge to any deserving Sri Lankan. However, donations are gratefully received from anyone who wishes to help sustain our services. We follow strict Governance and Health and Safety procedures and strive to protect vulnerable people.
Mankulam.
Our second facility is located at Mankulam, beside the A9 Jaffna trunk road. It was purpose built using handsome grants, mainly from the Lebara Foundation and several others, mediated by the Oblates of Mary Immaculate Fathers in Jaffna. Lebara Foundation also provides an annual grant to fund a major proportion of our output at Mankulam.
This clinic also provides a modern comprehensive prosthetic and orthotic service to civilian amputees in the Vanni region. We assess approximately 500 amputee people annually and provide 200 modular artificial limbs through this centre.
Services are provided by a fully trained prosthetic technician supported by two general technicians. The team is supported by a General Manager and a receptionist. An Oblate Father from Jaffna coordinates the activities at Mankulam and directs the vocational rehabilitation programme which is supported by two Counsellors.
Overall supervision and guidance is provided by a senior British Sri Lankan doctor, who retired from a post of consultant in rehabilitation medicine in the UK to lead this service. He is a first trustee of the Meththa Foundation. A retired senior British prosthetist supervises the training programme.
Mobile service
We have a fully equipped mobile unit which enables us to visit rural sites and serve amputee people who have great difficulties in accessing our services. These clinics are held regularly at Mullaiteevu, Dharmapuram, Malawi, Mannar and along the west coast, north of Mannar.
We are able to operate a mobile clinic anywhere in the Island at short notice. In the past, we conducted several clinics at Kandy, Galle, Matara and Trincomalee.
Ideally we require a pipe borne water supply and mains electricity and an appropriate shelter to operate from. A mobile clinic is conducted over a 6 day period and provides a complete service for 15-20 people. The overall cost of a clinic is approximately Rs400,000 and we will require a guarantee of payment.
Educating and training our clinical and technical staff
In addition to these facilities, a well trained and qualified, dedicated team is essential to provide a quality service. An academic link with the University of Salford has enabled us to train selected prosthetic orthotic staff at this Centre of Excellence to a graduate level.