Sumithrayo Drug Demand Reduction Programme
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Aim is to assist individuals, families and communities deal with problems created by the harmful use of alcohol, drugs and substance - a healthy lifestyle.
Mel Medura is the outreach arm of the Sumithrayo Colombo Centre. Sumithrayo was founded by the late Mrs. Joan De Mel and the Samaritans in Sri Lanka in 1974 to provide Confidential Emotional Support for people who are experiencing, feelings of distress or despair, including those that may lead to suicide. The Sumithrayo Drug Demand Reduction Programme at “Mel Medura” began in 1984 when it was found that Alcohol and Drugs was one of the leading causes of suicide in Sri Lanka. Our Honorary Consultant is Dr Shamil Wanigaratne, (BSc, D.Clin.Psych., C.Psychol, FBPSS) who is also the Consultant Clinical Psychologist and Senior Advisor to H.E. the Director General, National Rehabilitation Centre, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Adjunct Professor College of Medicine and Health Science United Arab Emirates University and Visiting Senior Lecturer, Institute of Psychiatry, King’s College London. Here at Mel Medura we identify those who are at risk of drug and alcohol dependence. People who come from all walks of life drop in to the centre for confidential support. The focus is on assisting those with substance dependence. Alcoholism and drug dependence are complex problems, with many related issues. And, although there is no magic formula to help someone stop his or her drinking or drug use, there is help available. Helping a loved one struggling with alcoholism or drug dependence can be heartbreakingly painful for families. Movies, books and magazines often portray people who “hit rock bottom” before they can be helped. However, this representation is a myth. People do not need to bottom out to be helped. Research shows that early identification of the problem is a much more effective solution for substance use problems. Early identification occurs at the first signs of a problem — before anyone has suffered a traumatic event, dropped out of school or lost important relationships, jobs, their health or self-respect. Seeking help can spare the victim and their family member’s situations such as arrests, medical emergencies, job loss, public embarrassment and even death. If substance abuse is untreated problems continue as family members develop their own issues and can suffer greatly. Children of substance users can experience school behaviour problems and poor academic performance and are more likely to become substance users themselves. At Mel Medura trained befrienders work with the substance user in a relaxed and friendly setting. His or her purpose is to find the root of the addiction and help them progress into sobriety. Depending on the underlying cause of the addiction discovered, the befriender develops an individual plan for each user. To help them work past the addiction, befrienders educate them about addiction and teach them how to move on through life without substance abuse. The main goal of the befriender is to guide the drug user or abuser into sobriety and a healthier life style.
11/08/2026
Your community needs you. 💚
Mel Medura’s Drug Demand Reduction Program is recruiting volunteers for community outreach and we’re looking for people with a heart, not just a resume.
If you’re under 50, passionate about addiction prevention and ready to bring hope to schools, workplaces and communities across Sri Lanka, this is for you.
Full training provided. All we ask is that you show up with compassion.
📲 WhatsApp/email your application: 0714307799 | [email protected]
📍 60B Horton Place, Colombo 07
Presented by ISSUP Sri Lanka chapter – Sumithrayo Drug Demand Reduction Program (Mel Medura)and Samutthana. This webinar examines family-based approaches to early identification and response to substance use within Sri Lankan households.
Situating substance use disorders
as health and psychological conditions rather than moral failings, the session explores how
cultural norms, stigma, and concerns about family reputation influence recognition,communication, and help-seeking. We discuss early warning signs, common but unhelpful family responses, evidence-informed strategies for supportive engagement and practical communication skills and pathways to professional support in Sri Lanka.
🗓 Wed March 25, 2026
⏰ 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM
🎙 Featuring leading experts and lived experiences
🔗 Register now https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/4886695221185600603
Sumithrayo Drug Demand Reduction Programme Aim is to assist individuals, families and communities deal with problems created by the harmful use of alcohol, drugs and substance - a healthy lifestyle.
08/03/2026
සෑම කාන්තාවකටම සුවපත් වීමේ අයිතියක් ඇත.
ඔවුන්ට ඇබ්බැහි වීමෙන් මිදීමට හා යහපත් ජීවන තත්ත්වයක් ළඟා කර ගැනීමට සහාය වීමට මල් මැදුර ඉතා කැපවීමෙන් කටයුතු කරයි. අපි සැවොම එක්ව මෙම සුවවීමේ අරගලය ශක්තිමත් කරමු.
එන්න මැල් මෙදුරට. අපි ඔබට එයින් ගැලවීමට නොමිලේ උදව් කරන්නම්.
071 430 7799, 011 269 4665
011 269 3460
Every woman deserves a chance to Heal.
Mel Medura is dedicated to helping women overcome addiction and find their path to wellness. Together, we can turn struggles into strength.
Call us for help. It’s a Free service
071 430 7799, 011 269 4665
011 269 3460
Empowerment recoveryispossible strongertogether
05/02/2026
'Reducing Drug‑Use–Related Offenses Through Health‑Centered Approaches
Please register for this webinar organize by ISSUP.
https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/5796682929257340249
15/09/2025
Join Mel Medura’s team and make a difference! We’re hiring passionate addiction counselors dedicated to supporting mental health, addiction recovery, and relapse prevention. Send your CV or contact us for more details—together, we can create a healthier community.
22/07/2025
Join Mel Medura’s team and make a difference! We’re hiring passionate addiction counselors and volunteers dedicated to supporting mental health, addiction recovery, and relapse prevention. Whether you’re looking to build a career or give back as a volunteer, your time and heart are valued. Send your CV or contact us for more details—together, we can create a healthier community.
28/06/2025
Together, we rise.
Addiction doesn’t have to be the end of your story. Mel Medura is here to help women rise above their struggles and embrace a life of freedom and fulfillment. Join us today.
Call us for help. It’s a Free service
071 430 7799, 011 269 4665
011 269 3460
එක්ව අපි නැගී සිටිමු.
ඇබ්බැහිවීම ඔබේ ජීවිතයේ අවසාන කතාව විය යුතු නැත. මැල්මැදුර කාන්තාවන්ට තම ජීවන සටන තුළින් එළියට ඒමටත් ඇබ්බැහි වීම වළක්වා ගැනීම තුලින් ජීවිතයේ නිදහස හා තෘප්තිමත්භාවය භුක්ති විඳීමටත් මග පෙන්වන ආයතනයකි. අදම අප සමග එක්වන්න.
එන්න මැල් මෙදුරට. අපි ඔබට එයින් ගැලවීමට නොමිලේ උදව් කරන්නම්.
071 430 7799, 011 269 4665
011 269 3460
සුවවීම ආරම්භ වන්නේ මෙතැනිනි.
සෑම කාන්තාවකටම සුවපත් වීමේ අයිතියක් ඇත.
ඔවුන්ට ඇබ්බැහි වීමෙන් මිදීමට හා යහපත් ජීවන තත්ත්වයක් ළඟා කර ගැනීමට සහාය වීමට මල් මැදුර ඉතා කැපවීමෙන් කටයුතු කරයි. අපි සැවොම එක්ව මෙම සුවවීමේ අරගලය ශක්තිමත් කරමු.
එන්න මැල් මෙදුරට. අපි ඔබට එයින් ගැලවීමට නොමිලේ උදව් කරන්නම්.
071 430 7799, 011 269 4665
011 269 3460
Every woman deserves a chance to Heal.
Mel Medura is dedicated to helping women overcome addiction and find their path to wellness. Together, we can turn struggles into strength.
Call us for help. It’s a Free service
071 430 7799, 011 269 4665
011 269 3460
Sumithrayo Drug Demand Reduction Programme Aim is to assist individuals, families and communities deal with problems created by the harmful use of alcohol, drugs and substance - a healthy lifestyle.
Your strength inspires us
Addiction doesn’t define you. At Mel Medura, we believe in your power to heal and thrive. Join us as we create a safe space for women to share, grow, and reclaim their lives.
Call us for help. It’s a Free service
071 430 7799, 011 269 4665
011 269 3460
ඇබ්බැහිවීම ඔබ කවුරුද යන්න නිර්වචනය නොකරයි.
අපි මැල් මැදුර ලෙස ඔබට ඇති සුවවීමේ ශක්තිය විශ්වාස කරන්නෙමු. අපි ඔබට කාන්තාවක් ලෙස අවශ්ය ආරක්ෂිත වටපිටාවක් ගොඩනගා ඇත්තෙමු. ඒ තුළ ඔබට ඔබේ ජීවිතය ගොඩ නගා ගැනීමට, ඔබේ හැඟීම් බෙදා ගැනීමට හා ඔබේ ජීවිතය යහපත් තැනකට ගෙන ඒමට අවකාශය නිර්මාණය කර ඇත.
එන්න මැල් මැදුරට. අපි ඔබට එයින් ගැලවීමට නොමිලේ උදව් කරන්නම්.
071 430 7799, 011 269 4665
011 269 3460
Sumithrayo Drug Demand Reduction Programme Aim is to assist individuals, families and communities deal with problems created by the harmful use of alcohol, drugs and substance - a healthy lifestyle.
එක්ව අපි නැගී සිටිමු.
ඇබ්බැහිවීම ඔබේ ජීවිතයේ අවසාන කතාව විය යුතු නැත. මැල්මැදුර කාන්තාවන්ට තම ජීවන සටන තුළින් එළියට ඒමටත් ඇබ්බැහි වීම වළක්වා ගැනීම තුලින් ජීවිතයේ නිදහස හා තෘප්තිමත්භාවය භුක්ති විඳීමටත් මග පෙන්වන ආයතනයකි. අදම අප සමග එක්වන්න.
එන්න මැල් මෙදුරට. අපි ඔබට එයින් ගැලවීමට නොමිලේ උදව් කරන්නම්.
071 430 7799, 011 269 4665
011 269 3460
Together, we rise.
Addiction doesn’t have to be the end of your story. Mel Medura is here to help women rise above their struggles and embrace a life of freedom and fulfillment. Join us today.
Call us for help. It’s a Free service
071 430 7799, 011 269 4665
011 269 3460
Sumithrayo Drug Demand Reduction Programme Aim is to assist individuals, families and communities deal with problems created by the harmful use of alcohol, drugs and substance - a healthy lifestyle.
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Telephone
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Address
60 Horton Place
Colombo
Opening Hours
| Monday | 09:30 - 15:00 |
| Tuesday | 09:30 - 15:00 |
| Wednesday | 09:30 - 15:00 |
| Thursday | 09:30 - 15:00 |
| Friday | 09:30 - 15:00 |
| Saturday | 09:30 - 15:00 |