‘Harpic Mission Wellbeing’ supports 90 families in Kataragama with proper sanitation facilities

In line with its mission to achieve public wellbeing through sanitation, ‘Harpic Suwa Jana Meheyuma’ (Mission Wellbeing) recently reached out to over 90 less privileged families living in Kataragama area to build toilet facilities at their homes. The mission reached out to over 450 individuals in all five ‘Grama Niladari’ divisions in Kataragama. Harpic Mission Wellbeing aligns their CSR efforts under four main pillars, to resolve various sanitation related issues faced by Sri Lankans across the island. Providing sanitation facilities to less privileged families has been one of the integral aspects of this worthy mission. 

Commending Harpic for this insightful act, Kataragama Divisional Secretary A.M. Nandasiri said, “The rest of the country perhaps remains in the dark about extreme challenges faced by poverty ridden households in areas such as Kataragama. Lack of proper sanitation is a crucial problem for most of these families. I am extremely grateful to Harpic for seeking out this largely hidden issue and stepping forward to assist these families. It is wonderful to witness what a great relief these families now enjoy as they have access to proper sanitation facilities.” 

Kataragama, despite being one of the busiest tourist destinations, is home to hundreds of families constantly struggling with poverty amidst natural hazards such as floods and wild-elephant attacks. Harpic has always been meticulous to direct their efforts to the most needy of the people and the beneficiaries of this project were carefully selected with the support of Divisional Secretariat and the social activists of respective areas. Harpic Mission Wellbeing had previously conducted a similar project in Damana, Ampara, benefitting over 50 families and the experience of this had enabled them to execute Kataragama project on a larger scale. 

With an accurate understanding of sanitation related issues faced by Sri Lankans, Harpic initiated the ‘Mission Wellbeing’ program as a four-pronged approach to resolve these issues. In terms of ensuring public hygiene, Harpic Mission Wellbeing has been providing relief to millions gathering at Sri Lanka’s major religious/cultural festivals through their modern mobile toilet facilities. Harpic has been overseeing the renovation and maintenance of public sanitation facilities at locations such as Sri Pada, benefitting millions of pilgrims every year. 

Harpic Mission Wellbeing also drives an attitudinal change amongst the school children through ‘Mission Wellbeing in Your School Programme’ by educating the children on proper hygienic practices and their collective responsibility to maintain common sanitation facilities. Reaching out to the less privileged across the country and assisting them with their personal sanitation facilities is the fourth focus area under Harpic Mission Wellbeing. 

“Sanitation is an often overlooked yet vital issue in Sri Lanka. We are well aware of the fact that while most people in Sri Lanka possess proper sanitation facilities, there are some who still go without such facilities. We decided to help these people at a huge yet worthy investment from our part. We in turn managed to reach out to people of Sri Lanka as a brand with a sincere wish to help out those in need,” commented Reckitt Benckiser Lanka Ltd. Hygiene-Home care category Product Group Manager Chathurika Fonseka.

Harpic is a leading brand of Reckitt Benckiser (Sri Lanka) Ltd. Reckitt Benckiser is a renowned global business that operates in markets across six continents. Inspired by a vision to create a world where people are healthier and live better, the Company produces a popular range of health and hygiene products that include Dettol, Strepsils, Veet, Airwick, Durex and Lysol. Harpic’s CSR efforts reiterate Reckitt Benckiser’s commitment to conduct a socially, environmentally and financially responsible business entity.