From her sorrow to their sorrow

By Roshan Peiris

Her finely chiselled features still bear the sadness she feels. Dr. Manorani Saravanamuttu is the mother of much loved journalist Richard de Zoysa who was killed at the age of thirty two. "My Richard," Manorani Saravanamuttu said, "cared a great deal for people and always wanted to lend a hand to those who needed help be it materially or otherwise."

Those who knew Richard would vouch that he was an altruistic person, apart from being an able journalist. The reason for our visit, apart from seeing this amazing woman of courage, was that she won the Zonta Woman of Achievement Award for 1998, last month for her leadership in Community Services.

Holding the award as she spoke, she said "I wish somehow at times that I was not alive and died when my Richard did. But then God has His purposes. He made me a doctor, and that in turn gave me the moral courage to face my sorrow and to help women, both mothers and wives who had lost their men to either the war or to strange disappearances."

"As a doctor I was able to attend to their health which was often in poor shape, and also give them psychological help, to bear the grave deprivation in their lives. For this," said Manorani closing her eyes as if in prayer "I thank God very much indeed."

Manorani also took to helping women in rural surroundings to be less dependent on their men folk for money by asserting their independence by starting Centres for Family Services. Together with other like-minded women, she leads the team to help rural women learn to make a living with cottage crafts, vegetable growing etc., so that they could live in dignity earning an income of their own, with which to help the children and family.

So with her trust in God she found an outlet for her great sorrow of losing her only child Richard who showed so much promise, by helping others to both bear their sorrows and also to achieve independence while looking after their homes, husbands and children.

Manorani has recently undergone a major operation at a Nursing Home and so needs the help of her aide Somasiri and a devoted friend Preethi at times.

Dressed in a multi hued Khaftan of blue white and purple, her hair cut short, she was the epitome of poise and restfulness, as she spoke of her experiences at the Centre for Family Services.

She felt this was the best tribute she could pay her son who loved people and was ever ready to help them.

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