10/03/2023
"Unpredictable Times call for Predictable Support"
~ Prabath Wickramanayake
On Tuesday, as the founder of Brightening Life Organization, I had the rare privilege of speaking with Pallav Pant who is the chairperson of Atullya Foundation, and who is also an internationally renowned advocate for persons with disabilities during disasters.
Pallav’s own disability has fuelled his ongoing commitment to addressing and highlighting the importance of developing strategies to support those with disabilities during natural disasters, where they tend to be more affected and receive less attention.
“Our resilience and ability to cope in such circumstances are often limited” says Pallav, “and the notion of ‘leaving no one behind’ is not always a reality for our community.”
As someone who is not a stranger to living with a disability myself, and having worked in disaster relief programs in the past, I am humbled and overjoyed to meet someone who has similar experience and values and who is actively getting out there to establish new frameworks and guidelines to assist this vulnerable group during what can very quickly become the most traumatic, challenging and perilous time of their lives.
In such hazardous environments the differently able do need to rely upon others, and as such, unless the correct frameworks are in place to ensure that they are supported adequately, they are always going to be at far greater risk than the average person.
Having seen and heard the testimonies of differently able men, women and children regarding the difficulties and hardships that they have encountered during emergencies, Brightening Life, as a leading organisation that endeavours to empower and uplift the underprivileged communities within Sri Lanka, is determined to make a difference through challenging outdated mindsets and shining a light on exactly what is needed to be able to move forward and ensure that no man is left behind.
If we cannot help in a time of need and at a time of crisis, then we are sadly out of touch with our humanity, and it is going to take some very good hearted humans, willing to raise their voices on behalf of the voiceless, to finally change that!
So we here at Brightening Life honour Pallav for his amazing work and we are very much looking forward to collaborating with him, and any other organisation like him, to strengthen the safety of these vulnerable people through what can be the most unpredictable of times.
❤️
