Caritas Sri Lanka - SEDEC

A group of 40 psychosocial workers from  9 Dioceses attended a  Live-In Session arranged recently by the Psychosocial Unit of Caritas Sri Lanka SEDEC from 26th to 31st May 2011.

Dr. Sivathas, Psychiatrist and Mental Health Unit Coordinator  for the Vavuniya District was the resource person for this 5-day program of which  three days were devoted to a workshop held in Vavuniya on Child Development in war affected areas. The participants also undertook exposure visits on two days to Mannar and Jaffna Districts. In Mannar they visited the Centres for Rehabilitaion of the Disabled and for Alcoholics as well as a stopover in Madhu and a boating trip in Pesalai, while in Jaffna they called at the Home for Affected Children in Mirusuvil and  also observed the  resettlement process in the village of Allaipiddy.

At the end of the program, it was proposed to form a Caritas Psychosocial Consultancy Board whose members would include doctors, clinicians, psychiatrists and psychologists to advise on referral and clinical aspects of psychosocial care. Plans were also finalised to form a Caritas Resource Pool made up of two persons from each Diocese who would be trained in conducting awareness programs, workshops and  lectures in both Sinhala and Tamil mediums   to empower the Caritas staff and volunteers engaged in psychosocial activities.

The Live-In Session was arranged under the guidance of Rev. Sr. Fatimanayaki, Coordinator of the SEDEC  Psychosocial Unit.