Etisalat reaches out to the underprivileged schools

Saturday, 5 January 2013 00:02 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Etisalat Lanka continued its quest to uplift the lives of the children, of the nation with their latest CSR initiative, starting their journey in 2013 Etisalat renovated the library of Hobariyaawa Junior School in Hobariyaawa, Giranduru Kotte.

This initiative is the eighth project renovated by Etisalat, under their CSR Project ‘Danuma Pubudana Wiyapruthiya’, which has helped improve the education standards of thousands of less-privileged children across the island.

The Hobariyaawa Junior School consists of about 520 students with grades up to O/Level, the mixed school is located close to the Mahiyanganaya Town in the Badulla District.

The new-look library was officially opened recently by Central of Etisalat Lanka Regional Business Manager Dinusha Karandawatta, and his regional team.

This project was headed by Etisalat Financial Controller Kumudu de Silva, together with the company’s Head of HR Srinath Fonseka who is part of the CSR team of Etisalat.

The company donated several valuable educational books to the library. In addition to this, various items of furniture such as chairs, tables, racks as well as a much-needed DVD player was donated.Speaking at the ceremony Etisalat Lanka Director/Chief Executive Officer Dumindra Ratnayaka said, “As we continue to expand our network coverage across the island and grow as a company, we must not forget to give back to those who are less fortunate than us.”

He added that children are the future leaders of the nation and spoke of the important role played by education in providing them a brighter future.

“We are very proud to be a part of the Hobariyaawa Junior School’s newly-refurbished library, which we hope will go a long way in fulfilling the needs of these children,” he added.

Echoing the sentiments of Ratnayaka, Etisalat Head of HR Srinath Fonseka stated, “We believe that children in the outstations are equally talented to children in the larger cities.

“They have the thirst for knowledge but what they lack are facilities and resources required to obtain this knowledge in order to further their education and move forward in life.” He added that Etisalat’s ‘Danuma Pubudana Wiyapruthiya’ CSR Project has understood this and is focused on improving the lives of the less-fortunate students through education.

In keeping with the company’s vision to give back to society, Etisalat Lanka has conducted various CSR projects across the island. In November 2011, the company gifted 350 school bags, a printer and a wide selection of books to the library of Rathnaura/Gabbela Maha Vidyalaya, in celebration of the school’s 60 anniversary.

The school is located in Endana, a rural community of primarily plantation workers in the Sabaragamuwa Province, which became one of the Southern locations to fall under Etisalat’s expansion.

Another CSR project, conducted in Sri Dhammananda Vidyalaya in Yapamma Hopton, included the donation of a fully-equipped library and education equipment such as a large volume of books, TV, DVD player and a projector, as part of Etisalat’s drive to provide opportunities for the nation’s children to access today’s world through education.