Sri Lanka: "Coming Home" for GAF Founder

"My family and I left Sri Lanka in 1983, the year that the country’s civil war officially began.  I returned twice (in 1987 & 2003) before, but those were merely tourist trips.  This time it’s different.  This visit has a purpose."

 - AJ Nanayakkara

Founder, Global Abilities Foundation

As I recovered physically and psychologically from the spinal cord injury I sustained in 1994, I often thought how fortunate I am to live in the United States.  Even though I have a severe physical disability, the adaptive equipment, peer mentors, and accessible community in the U.S. enabled me to regain an active, independent life.  But, had I suffered a disability in Sri Lanka, I would most like have been homebound.  My family would have cared for me until I died, and I most likely would never have gone to school, never attained a decent job, and never gotten married!  Unfortunately, these outcomes are the norm in the world.  In most of the world, living with a disability means a short life of inactivity, seclusion, and dependence.

When I founded the Global Abilities Foundation (GAF), my main goal was to show disabled individuals in places like Sri Lanka that they could still attain much in life.  It is my hope that our organization can help them regain an independent, active life.  But before we decide how best GAF can achieve this mission, we first needed to learn as much as we could about the disabled community that we hope to help.  Kelly and I are in Sri Lanka this month to conduct research about the state of the disabled community and to make local connections that will help with our future efforts here.  In the next few blogs, we will describe the meetings we have and what we are learning.  First, let me share some quick observations I made about the general state of things in and around the capital city (Colombo) where we are spending most of our time (click on the following links to find out more about Sri Lanka's history and travel).

Cultural Changes....

The End of the War and New Beginnings:  My last visit to Sri Lanka was in 2003.  Although there was a cease-fire at that time, the country was always only a small incident or misunderstanding away from resuming hostilities.  The government defeated the LTTE rebels in 2009, so the war is officially over.  Gone are the dozens of army and police checkpoints.  I feel that people here in general are less tense and a bit more optimistic about the future.

A Growing City State:  Immediately upon landing, we noticed that resources have been spent on developing the infrastructure of Sri Lanka.  The new airport resembles a modern U.S. or western European airport—it is well lit, air-conditioned, has moving sidewalks, and other convenient amenities.   We quickly learn of a new seaport being built on the southern coast of the country in Hambattota and something akin to a new interstate highway linking the major cities in the south.

Tech Connections:  From the most remote villages  sitting high atop the mountains to the Colombo metropolitan area – people also seem more connected.  Most people carry cell phones and, surprisingly, many tout  their Facebook status!  Technology is a way for the Sri Lankan community to stay connected with each other as well as a way to experience the world outside of their little country.

...Yet Some things Remain the Same:

Transportation:  It can take several hours to go a couple dozen kilometers.  A two lane road (without shoulders or sidewalks)  can fit two cars, a bus, a three wheeled-taxi called a trishaw, several motorcycles, pedestrians, and a stray dog or two. Traffic rules are merely suggestions written from a bygone era.  Two short blasts of the car horn may translate to ““Hey, I am going to pass you now” or  “I am coming around a corner so get out of my lane” or “Thank you.”  The most common mode of transportation? Walking.

 An Ever-growing Population:  Sri Lanka packs over 21 million people into a country the size of West Virginia.  In addition, the fearless, stray, mangy, malnourished dogs seem to outnumber the people in the country.  Limited space, jobs, and resources (e.g., electricity, water) make life difficult.  Nonetheless, Sri Lankans in general are a friendly, hospitable people.

Wheelchair Inaccessibility:  Most buildings in the capital and the vast majority in the rest of the island have steps in front and bathrooms that are inaccessible to wheelchairs.  None of trains, taxis, or buses have ramps or lifts.  Luckily, there is never a shortage of happily willing volunteers to help my wheelchair and me conquer any obstacle we face.


Our upcoming blog posts will speak more to the challenges faced by disabled individuals in Sri Lanka and describe some of the organizations serving them.

This blog was written by AJ Nanayakkara, the founder of Global Abilities and renowned disabilities rights activist and educator.