Navajeevana Rehabilitation, Tangalle (NRT translated: New Life) is a nationally recognized charity since 1988. Founder and Chairwoman was Ms. Kumarini Wickramasuryia («Kumi»).

Since the death of «Kumi» in 2019, her nephew, Suresh de Mel, took over the chairmanship and continues to lead the organisation with great commitment and in the spirit of «Kumi».

NRT is located at the southernmost tip of the country. The South of Sri Lanka is the poorest region of the country and exhibits the highest number of disabled people.

Often women have been left after the birth of a handicapped child by her husband and have to worry about the income of the family as well as the care and maintenance of the children alone. Often it is not possible for women with their disabled child to visit the NRT-center. So-called “field workers”, NRT staff and volunteers seek out affected families and teach them how to care for the child, or even promote therapeutic help. By discovering people with disabilities early, much can be done to help and support. This brings relief to affected families in everyday life. The disabled person gets a real chance to live according to the degree of disability and, as far as possible independently and with dignity.

Years of experience has made NRT in southern Sri Lanka into a competence center for the so-called “community-based rehabilitation” and integration of disabled people in their community.

The much-needed structural expansion of the center, which was initially very modest, can be thanked in part to the donors of the Brighter Life Foundation, has been successfully completed in Fall 2008. Previous separate, the preschool is now integrated into the new therapy center and benefit fully from all NRT services.