Tokyo Cement and Foundation of Goodness launch A.Y.S. Gnanam Village Heartbeat Empowerment Centre

Standing from left: Dr. Harsha Cabral PC, Dharmasiri Rajapaksha, Wijesiri Perera, W.S. Fernando, Kushil Gunasekera and S.R. Gnanam inaugurating the A.Y.S. Gnanam Village Heartbeat Empowerment Centre in Dambulla

Marking another far-reaching milestone in the company’s ongoing quest to enrich the country and its people, Tokyo Cement Group recently joined hands with The Foundation of Goodness to establish The A.Y.S. Gnanam Village Heartbeat Empowerment Centre in Dambulla. 

The facility, which became the 12th Village Heartbeat project of the Foundation of Goodness, was declared open by Tokyo Cement Group Chairman Dr. Harsha Cabral PC, together with Tokyo Cement Group Managing Director S.R. Gnanam and Foundation of Goodness Founder/Chief Trustee Kushil Gunasekera. 

Three main Distributors of Tokyo Cement Group in the region, Kandegedera Hardware, Wilgamuwa, Proprietor Dharmasiri Rajapaksha; Perera Distributors, Dambulla, Proprietor Wijesiri Perera; Sampath Traders, Bakamuna, Proprietor W.S. Fernando were among the distinguished guests at the event.

The A.Y.S. Gnanam Village Heartbeat Empowerment Centre, situated in Sisirawatte, Dambulla, will provide free educational support on subjects such as science, mathematics, IT, English, Tamil, and traditional dancing for Primary to Grade 5 students from low-income families. In addition to educational support for school children, other programs carried out at the centre will include life skills and values, vocational training and sports to empower the youth in the area to obtain better employment opportunities. 

As it progresses, the centre will offer training programs on widely sought-after vocational courses for youth, such as hospitality, agriculture, bakery, electrical wiring, CCTV installation, and mobile repairing. Women empowerment is a key focus of the Village Heartbeat concept, and as such, the centre also conducts professional courses on dressmaking, cookery, and beauty culture.

At the inauguration event, Dr. Harsha Cabral PC said that this centre promises to be a fitting tribute to the late Gnanam, who had selflessly initiated many charitable causes that continue to open many doors even today for thousands of people to realise their dreams. He stated that the beneficiaries of the institute should take pride in acquiring valuable skills that are in high demand and make use of this opportunity to make a positive contribution to the society.

The A.Y.S. Gnanam Centre in Dambulla is a fully equipped training facility built by the Tokyo Cement Group in memory of its Founder-Chairman and pioneering self-made industrialist, the late Deshamanya A.Y.S. Gnanam. Upgrading the facility, in partnership with the Foundation of Goodness to conduct multiple empowerment programs for deserving rural communities, helps keep the legacy of A.Y.S. Gnanam alive and meaningful.

The A.Y.S. Gnanam Village Heartbeat Empowerment Centre addresses much-needed social upliftment requirements of the rural communities in the Dambulla-Kandalama area. People living in the remote villages of Rathmalgahaela, Athuparayaya, Pahalawewa, Yakuragala North, Yakuragala South, Wilhatha and Kandalama Grama Niladhari Divisions will benefit from the initiative. 

Over 750 families, whose main livelihoods are in the farming and agriculture-related industries, can now utilise the facility to improve their learning opportunities and expand the horizons of their children. So far, more than 800 beneficiaries from various age categories are participating in the multiple skills development courses at the centre, which stands proof of the value it will create for the people over time.

The visionary behind the Village Heartbeat Empowerment (VHE) concept, Kushil Gunasekera, speaking at the opening, reiterated the importance of creating holistic individuals who are not only educated but more importantly, kind and compassionate. He further requested all beneficiaries of the 12th VHE Centre in Dambulla to pay forward the kindness they receive in the form of better opportunities to other, even lesser fortunate individuals in their respective communities, with the aim of uplifting the lives of everyone and ultimately, our nation.

The Village Heartbeat Centres empower disadvantaged rural communities by offering free training courses aimed at improving the standard of living. It is a unique holistic rural development concept to eradicate poverty by bridging the urban-rural divide, using skills development and training as the means to enhance knowledge and attitudes of youth and communities who otherwise do not have access to the required resources. 

The Foundation of Goodness currently reaches out and touches the lives of over 35,000 beneficiaries annually, from over 500 villages island-wide, through its 10 empowerment divisions conducted free of cost via its Village Heartbeat Empowerment Centres and the project headquarters, which is also its flagship venue, the OYOB Centre of Excellence and Sports Academy in Seenigama.

Tokyo Cement Group has successfully integrated social welfare and environmental conservation into its corporate DNA, and this latest initiative is one great example of their commitment to social responsibility. What fuels the company to take this path is the very life of late Deshamanya A.Y.S. Gnanam, whose many business achievements are outshined by his kindness and generosity. The late A.Y.S. Gnanam’s legacy as a compassionate leader and the values he embodied continue to be the driving forces behind the Tokyo Cement Group.

The cultural dancing troupe of the Dambulla A.Y.S. Gnanam Village Heartbeat Centre welcoming the guests

Dr. Harsha Cabral PC, Kushil Gunasekera and S.R. Gnanam unveiling the plaque at the A.Y.S. Gnanam Village Heartbeat Empowerment Centre in Dambulla

School children now have access to quality IT educational support at the centre

The A.Y.S. Gnanam Village Heartbeat Centre in Dambulla offers free educational support for Grades 1-5 students from low-income families

Dressmaking, cookery, and beauty culture courses are conducted at the centre to empower women to pursue self-employment opportunities