The Nation Forum of Women with Disabilities (NFWD), in partnership with The Asia
Foundation (TAF), is implementing the “Addressing Unpaid Care in Sri Lanka” project. This initiative directly addresses the disproportionate burden of unpaid care work on women and girls by focusing on the framework to recognize, reduce, redistribute, and respond to these responsibilities.
The Colombo Model Day Care Center
As a key component of this project, NFWD established the Care Center for Independent Living in the Ratmalana Divisional Secretariat, Colombo District.
This center is specifically designed for women with disabilities and their caregivers.
This locality was chosen because of its socio-economic diversity, serving women from middle and lower-middle-class families who cannot afford private care services.
Addressing Caregiver Needs
Our previous work highlighted that many family caregivers of women with disabilities lack the specific skills and awareness needed for different disabilities. This skills gap increases the burden on the women caregivers, often leading to mental and physical distress and long-term health issues.
By providing specialized, free-of-charge care and training through the center, we aim to:
Ease caregiving responsibilities for women in the family.
Enable women to pursue economic opportunities and participate fully in society.
This project is estimated to reach approximately 50 beneficiaries, including women, women with
disabilities, and relevant stakeholders.
Project Duration – 1 year
