The elders’ home is a project undertaken by Elpitiya Plantations together with Fondation Abbe Pierre (a French donor agency) and facilitated by Programmes d'Aide et de Développement destinés aux Enfants du Monde (PADEM) of France.
The elders’ home at Meddecombra Estate, which is nearing completion and to be formally opened in October 2014, will house 40 occupants – 20 male and 20 female residents. Constructed in a pleasant and eco-friendly environment aimed at enabling the elderly, retired workers to spend their ‘sunset years’ in a peaceful and healthy atmosphere, it will include recreation rooms with TVs, washrooms for the disabled with hot water and other amenities, gardens with walkways and ponds and a modern kitchen.
The residents of the elders’ home will be provided meals, including nutrition supplements and medical facilities completely free-of-charge, with funds from Elpitiya Plantations and contributions from well-wishers.
“At Elpitiya Plantations we take our obligations towards our workers very seriously, even when they are no longer part of our workforce,” pointed out Executive Director of Elpitiya Plantations, Tony Goonewardena. “The home for the elderly and retired underscores our commitment to our workforce.” Goonewardena went on to note, “The elder’s home initiative is part of our broader programme to improve the living conditions of workers by upgrading facilities of their present accommodation for which we will continue to invest substantially.”
Previously, Elpitiya Plantations joined hands with the French Donor Agencies Fondation Abbe Pierre and Programmes d'Aide et de Développement destinés aux Enfants du Monde, France (PADEM) in a Rs. 21 million project to construct twenty model housing units for families of workers of its Meddecombra Estate whose residences were destroyed by a fire.
In collaboration with the National Housing Development Authority and Plantation Human Development Trust (PHDT), Elpitiya Plantations has facilitated the construction of over 850 housing units overall (768 single housing units and 88 upstairs housing units) on its plantations since takeover.
