The DOC was the first project to start at CCS in 1982. A small house was rented on the beach, which provided a soup kitchen, wound cleaning and other mercy ministries. Today CCS has a large building in the heart of the slum that is out DOC. Here many ministries are operated and hundreds of children and adults come daily for help. The staff and volunteers are very helpful and willing to make a difference in the lives of those who come here for help.

The DOC has had many on-going programmes that have been running for many years. These include:

• The Feeding Programme – daily meals are provided to disadvantaged children. 100 receive breakfast and 300 receive lunch every day. These children also receive haircuts, health checkups, worm treatment, personal development assistance and education on special issues.
• Village Welfare – Families in need are helped through the provision of dry rations, medicines, school supplies and emergency aid and urgent transport.
• Sewing School – Young women are trained in sewing so that they can eventually find employment in a local factory, tailoring shop or start their own home-based sewing business. Fifty students completed the course during 2006 and developed their skills in sewing. Regular sales of products were conducted out of the school so that students could also learn the business aspect of a sewing business. One of the graduates got employment as a sewing instructor.
• Frank Wilsmith Medical Centre – CCS provides holistic health care to the community through this clinic. Regular doctor visits, pregnant mothers clinics, infant clinics, health education, nutrition, HIV/AIDS education, family planning, wound treatment, emergency help, first aid counseling and other assistance is provided through the medical centre. Hundreds of adults and children come to the clinic every week.
• Prema Project is the medical outreach programme in the community where teams of volunteers and staff visit the community and refugee camps providing simple medical help, lice treatment, haircuts, wound treatment and counseling to the community.
• Sharety Baby Clinic provides help to malnourished infants less than three years in terms of health care, nutrition, family support and good practices. 120 children received help in 2006. Many of these children lived in the tsunami refugee camps.
• Elders Programme – provides assistance, social interaction, entertainment and encouragement to nearly 100 older women in the community.
• Health camps – A number of health camps are conducted during the year in strategic locations to teach and disseminate information on specific health issues.

Anoma Herath
Director DOC