About Us

We wish to bring many good things to life.

About Us

Who We Are

We Provide Charity Service Since 1971

Historically persons afflicted by leprosy in Sri Lanka often spent several years in isolation jobitel.com in leprosy asylums, ostracised by friends and family. Many were released from internment when medically declared as being non-infectious. Unlike other diseases, leprosy, unfortunately, left severe scars and disabilities which were irreversible.

Society for the Upliftment and Rehabilitation of Lepers (SUROL) was founded in 1971 – set up by Fr. Realino Chiriatti and nurtured and brought to what it is today by the late Rev. Fr. Glen Fernando, who passed away on 4th July 2007. This year marks the 12th year since his untimely death. SUROL’s purpose is mainly to rehabilitate those affected by Leprosy, help their return to communities and rebuild their lives with dignity and self-respect. The founding members adopted a non-religious, non-sectarian and non-partisan strategy for the Society which was a strong attraction to membership.

Public education to remove the stigma attached to leprosy was one arm of SUROL’s two-way plan, the other being the important task of rehabilitation of leprosy sufferers. SUROL’s work was a http://xjobs.org/ imed at taking practical steps towards reducing the number of sufferers and by developing a working relationship with other relief organizations

SUROL became a Government Approved Charity in 1973 (Gazette # 55 of 11/04/1973). Since then, SUROL gained friends and influenced people both at home and abroad and was one of the smallest groups in the country run by a Board of Management consisting of 15 persons and now continues under the Patronage of the Catholic Archbishop of Colombo, Rt. Rev. Dr. Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith, whose appointee is the Hony. General Secretary, Rev. Fr. Neil Dias Karunaratne. C.Ss.R

More about SUROL

SUROL established and progressively expanded its field staff and volunteers in the Central, Eastern, Northern, North Western, North Central and Uva provinces. Regular visits were made to Negombo, Wattala, Hendala in the North, of Colombo, South to Kalutara, Wadduwa, Panadura, Moratuwa. These visits provided opportunities not only to get firsthand experience but also most importantly to let the neighborhood know that Leprosy was not infectious and at the same time to promote acceptance of these patients as normal people into society.
In May 1983, at a meeting at the Central Leprosy Clinic at the General Hospital, the importance of education, treatment and rehabilitation, for effective eradication of leprosy in Sri Lanka were discussed. The collaboration between the Sri Lanka Emmaus Leprosy Control Project and the rehabilitation of leprosy patients spearheaded by SUROL resulted in the Project Director offering three motor cycles to the society for its rehabilitation work. This gesture displayed a sign of confidence by the Project Director of the Anti- Leprosy Campaign of the Ministry of Health, Nutrition & Indigenous Medicine

SUROL was never able to enjoy a permanent home since its inception. During its early years , SUROL operated out of the Jesuit House in Clifford Place in Colombo 4, where the first General Secretary of the organization was located. Subsequently SUROL office was moved to two other locations in Colombo 8, in the vicinity of the General Hospital. Following the unfortunate events of July 1983, the office was moved to the residence of the then President of SUROL in Colombo 5. Subsequently, the Parish Priest of St. Theresa’s Church Fr Glen Fernando, who was invited to become a member of SUROL offered a small room in the parish hall where an office was established.

Although this Organization has been in existence for over 48 years, Surol received a somewhat permanent home at its present premises when Fr. Glen Fernando took over as the Hony General Secretary of Surol. Under the guidance and direction of the late Rev. Fr. Glen Fernando, a Redemptorist Priest, some exemplary and admirable work for the upliftment and rehabilitation of these patients was undertaken, so much so that he knew every patient by name and is even now being treated like a God with his photograph displayed in their homes

To consolidate, strengthen and expand its work SUROL received a brand new Jeep, and funds to lease the premises in which SUROL is located at present. It was our fervent hope that our work in some measure alleviated the sufferings of our beneficiaries and brought joy, hope, dignity and self-respect to them.

We are Helping Hands

We aim to be a ray of hope for persons with leprosy...

Our Vision

We are committed and dedicated to establishing a society where persons affected by leprosy find themselves acceptable as equal partners with all others in the community and society at large.

Our Mission

Promoting activity for sharing (giving and taking) of available resources which assist the Persons affected by leprosy to uplift and rehabilitate themselves so that they participate effectively in the social and economic life of the community without discrimination due to their links with the disease Leprosy also known as Hansen’s Disease.

Our Goal

To be an organisation that is committed to being of service to leprosy afflicted or post-afflicted persons and their family members and those who are dependents of the primary beneficiary. We help them to overcome the psychological, physical and socio- economic adverse effects brought on them by the disease leprosy and help them to rehabilitate and holistically develop themselves.

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We aim to...

1:

To be an organisation that promotes the reduction of the incidence of leprosy itself and also works to prevent and reduce all manner of adverse after-effects of leprosy afflicted and affected persons, their family members and other relations or persons linked with or associated with them.

2:

To be an organisation which provides relief and assists the rehabilitation of leprosy afflicted and affected persons and closely connected persons who can be described as being the “Poorest of the Poor” (“most needy”). They are those who in reality need Surol’s support in the Physical, Psychological, Social, Spiritual and Economic Spheres. They are people who essentially need to overcome the social stigma and negative attitudes of people towards leprosy (Hansen’s Disease) from time immemorial.

3:

To disseminate information and promote Awareness regarding Leprosy;

Which will encourage a more complete knowledge and understanding of the truth regarding the disease of leprosy. Leprosy in the past was dreaded since no cure was known and thought to be highly infectious/ contagious till the late Nineteenth Century; and today since the late 1930s we have definite methods of diagnosis, treatment and cure which are obtainable free of cost from all government hospitals in Sri Lanka.
To involve in efforts to help change attitudes and quell fears of people at large towards leprosy and those afflicted and/or affected by it.

4:

To organise and implement programmes to raise funds to finance and support the implementation and the strengthening of all the programmes and activity of SUROL.

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