KUALA LUMPUR: When Associate Professor Kathir Kamanathan Vytialingam visited Sri Lanka after the Dec 26, 2004, tsunami, he was heartbroken as he moved among the 1.5 million people displaced by the catastrophe.

They could not return to their jobs or continue with life as they knew it.

The consultant occupational therapist knew his task was to restore self-confidence in the broken community and help it move on.

As a member of the Mercy Malaysia team that arrived soon after the disaster, he began explaining to the victims what a tsunami was and what it had done to them.

"I had to do a lot of counselling to the many people who were emotionally affected," said the Universiti Putra Malaysia lecturer, who stayed on the island for 10 days
At the end of his stay, he proposed that permanent rehabilitation services be set up.

His volunteer work in Sri Lanka and numerous other contributions to people facing problems with their occupations worldwide recently earned him the World Federation of Occupational Therapists (WFOT) Merit Award.

Only nine people have been conferred the award since 1952.

The award is given in recognition of individuals who have made an exceptional impact on the profession of occupational therapy within WFOT member and associate member countries.

Kathir said: "The catastrophe was an eye-opener to me as to how important basic things in life were and how we have to get rid of our ego, titles and positions and just be human to help the people who had lost their homes and loved ones."

Occupational therapists work with individuals, families, groups and populations to facilitate health and well being through engagement or re-engagement in occupations.

On the award, he said it was an honour to Malaysia as his work had been recognised by his peers.

The WFOT comprises 66 member organisations each of whom are represented on the world council by an elected delegate.

Nathan began playing an active role in the federation in 1992 after attending a meeting in Hong Kong where he was nominated to the education committee.

He was later appointed vice-president, over the last 10 years helping Korea, Thailand, Mauritius, Kenya and Nepal establish areas of rehabilitation.

"My latest mission was early this year when I visited Dow University in Pakistan and helped establish a four-year degree programme in occupational therapy."

He drew up the curriculum for the programme, which was approved by the university senate and is now a consultant to the university.

In April, he visited the university with his team and conducted a one-week programme on issues related to mental health.