Global Shapers Colombo Hub in collaboration with Enable Lanka Foundation conducted a wellbeing and creative session for students with intellectual disabilities. This one-day program was held on 3 December 2023 at A E Gunasinghe College, Colombo 12, Sri Lanka, as the phase 1 (one) of a holistic initiative centered around creating healthy interactive abilities, to support skill development and movement of these differently abled children. The focus on conducting this worship as the phase 1 of the project was instrumental for the Colombo Hub in line with International Day of Disabled Persons celebrated on 3 December. As the largest minority group in the world, it was important for the hub to focus on this impact area as a community hub.

For this initiative, Global Shapers Colombo Hub partnered with Enable Lanka Foundation, the local Police Station and the local youth society consisting of 100+ members. For the wellbeing and creative session, the hub carried out 4 interactive activities (including coloring, designing structures using slime objects, singing and dancing sessions etc.) with 40+ differently abled children, which gathered from multiple ethnicities in the said community. These 40+ children were accompanied by approx. 15 parents. The volunteers provided a meal for the participants as well.

For the phase 2 (two) of the project, the hub is planning to conduct a session for the parents of these differently abled children on empowering their children and also with the provision of physiotherapy and mental wellbeing support with input from qualified experts and seasoned individuals who share and successfully navigated through homogenous experiences.

Project Goals / Solutions Overall:

The project solutions included in phase 1 consisted of establishing a solid relationship with the patrons/supportive stakeholder who take care of these children with various disabilities and conducting an interactive workshop for the children. Physical presence of Colombo Shapers and the partnering organizers was ensured with necessary creative aid materials, food, and beverages.

1. Conducting multi-activity centered interactive session for disabled children


2. Incorporating multi-sensory simulating tasks to be completed by children with the close support of the parents / volunteers


3. During the phase 2 of the project, the hub aims to provide physiotherapy and mental wellbeing support to the parents through educative sessions, so they are able to provide an empowered and holistic care for their children

Short Term Impact

1. Celebrating the International Day of Disabled Persons celebrated and spreading awareness through project work


2. Ensuring well-being, positive interaction, creative simulation, and movement abilities of the children during the workshop

Long Term (expected) Impact: Empowering the caretaker community i.e. parents of the selected disabled children to better take care of them through understanding the conditional disabilities, exploring opportunities for differently abled, and awareness on physiotherapy practice.