Saturday, 28 September 2013 00:00
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Fashion Bug, one of Sri Lanka’s leading retail clothing stores with over 17 outlets island wide, launched yet another CSR program, this time an educational one titled ‘Sisu Dirimaga’.
“It is our aim to establish a sustainable CSR platform as opposed to miscellaneous one-off projects that lack clear long term objectives. The Sisu Dirimaga program will ensure that all the projects will stem from one clear platform, establishing a clear CSR identity for Fashion Bug as a responsible Corporate Citizen, as well as give our customers the satisfaction of being part of a noble national cause. This was initiated by Shabier Subian, Director of Fashion Bug,” said Fashion Bug Manager Marketing Nadisha Wickramathilake.
“The drinking water project that we completed and presented to the Ovitigamuwa Maha Vidyalaya is by far the most important CSR project initiated by Fashion Bug to date. Students of the school are determined performers in spite of their difficult circumstances. They have been drinking water with high levels of iron in the past years – water that was deemed as unsuitable for human consumption by public health inspectors as they result in long-term health adversities,” Wickramathilake said.
They had heard about the matter through the Zonal Director, Department of Education Weerakoon who liaised with Fashion Bug and the Principal of the school Ruwanpathirana to make this project a reality.
“We have installed a tube well and the system that distributes pure drinking water throughout the school through a filter system, thus fulfilling the dire need for pure drinking water,” said Wickramathilake.
“Many organisations had come, investigated the problem and promised to take corrective measures; however nothing substantial had been done to resolve the problem. Fashion Bug on the other hand committed to the cause and didn’t stop until the project was completed. The children came back to school after August holidays to a wonderful surprise – drinking water that you do not have to think about twice before consuming it. We are eternally grateful to Fashion Bug for having been true their promise,” said Principal of the Ovitigamuwa Maha Vidyalaya Ruwanpathirana.
“We wish to get the foundation accredited by the Ministry of Education to centralise the auditing process of our recipients and to establish a better feedback and feed-forward method between us and the beneficiaries, thus making Sisu Dirimaga a stronger and more effective force in making a real and sustainable change in rural education,” said Chairman of Fashion Bug Rizal Subian.
“Developing underprivileged schools in rural areas through mobilising of projects, upholding and financially enabling underprivileged students who excel academically, enabling the dreams of those with the desire to learn and making a reality of education for all no matter your circumstances, is our goal,” said Subian
In addition, Fashion Bug is also involved in several other CSR projects which include the Kalubowila Hospital, Maharagama Cancer Hospital, and an environmental project in Kurunegala, namely ‘Thuru Sahasak’.
“Each Fashion Bug outlet works closely with its community. We have close links with the community centres and religious communities of all religions and we actively participate in and contribute to all their events. As part of the profits generated from a branch in a particular area are channeled towards the CSR project of that area, our customers who patronise that particular outlet are proud custodians of that particular project and feel that they too are working side by side with us,” said AGM Operations Fashion Bug Faraaz Hameed.
