LOLC aims at child development and empowerment through LOLC Care

The LOLC group, through its strategic corporate social responsibility initiative LOLC Care, successfully completed its inaugural CSR project aimed at child development and empowerment.

Under LOLC Care, the group constructed a children’s home and provided assistance to an existing home managed by the National Council for Child and Youth Welfare (NCCYW).

Both homes ‘Madiwela special education and home for boys’ and ‘LOLC Care child development centre’ are located at Madiwela, Nugegoda, and are occupied by developmentally challenged males and orphaned boys.

LOLC Care child development centre, the newly constructed two storied home, was ceremonially opened on 8 January 2013, by LOLC group Directors, Chairperson Rohini Nanayakkara, Deputy Chairman Ishara Nanayakkara, Group Managing Director/CEO Kapila Jayawardena, Executive Director Kalsha Amarasinghe and President of NCCYW Sujith Perera.

Senior management members and staff members of both LOLC and NCCYW were present during the ceremonial activities. The home was subsequently donated to the NCCYW.

Speaking about this project, LOLC Kapila Jayawardena said, “During the first phase of our inaugural project under LOLC Care, we partnered with the NCCYW to provide financial assistance to renovate and maintain one of their existing homes, namely, the ‘Madiwela special education school and home for boys’.

“This home is dedicated to looking after 34 developmentally challenged boys and adults, and we managed to increase the capacity of the home to accommodate six more occupants.

“During the second phase of the project, we constructed a fully-fledged home in the adjoining land to house and educate 50 young, orphaned boys.

“Staff members of the home will provide the children necessary care and education until they reach 18 years of age. The home will also provide them vocational skills to secure employment thereafter.”

The foundation stone for the new building was laid on 8 October 2010, with the participation of LOLC Directors and senior management members.

Both children’s homes will be managed by the NCCYW, with LOLC providing necessary financial assistance and support.

Designed to implement the vision of sustainability

Launched in 2009, LOLC Care was designed to implement LOLC’s vision for sustainability and aims to undertake numerous initiatives for community development and environmental protection in line with its CSR policy.

A committee representing the board of directors, management and staff members of LOLC was set up to streamline and oversee all LOLC Care activities of the group.  

The National Council for child and youth welfare is a non-governmental organisation set up to look after the wellbeing of underprivileged children.

At present, they manage seven children’s homes island wide, and out of these homes, three homes are dedicated to developmentally challenged girls and boys belonging to various age groups.

Some of the activities planned for the children of LOLC Care children’s homes include, continuous maintenance of the buildings, sponsorship of children from childhood to employment, educational support, extra-curricular activities conducted by staff members or by way of sponsorships, skill development of children, and alms to the homes.

“In addition, with the help of LOLC employees, we have organised various cultural and religious activities for the occupants of the special education school and home, and we hope to extend the same for the children of the new child development centre.

“We have also maintained close relations with the Board of NCCYW to assist them in meeting various requirements of the homes.” Jayawardena added further.

It is the aim of the LOLC group to provide necessary infrastructural, financial and welfare support, to ensure that the occupants of both ‘LOLC Care child development centre’ and ‘Madiwela special education school and home for boys’ are looked after and given the necessary skills for their individual growth and integration into society.

The company hopes to extend career building opportunities to these children within and outside of the group, ensuring them a secure future.

“Through LOLC Care, we have striven to make a difference of the lives of the children who, otherwise, will be pushed to the peripheries of the society.

“We have an individual plan for every child. We believe in providing them a safe and healthy environment, the necessary resources for their well-being and a new family of teachers and care givers to look after their overall development.

It is our fervent wish to assist these children to empower themselves, so that upon becoming adults, they will be able to reintegrate into society as independent and able individuals” Jayawardena concluded.