Janashakthi Foundation pledges Rs. 50 m to support nation’s battle against COVID-19

First Capital Holdings Director/CEO Dilshan Wirasekara handing over the equipment to Prof. Prasad Katulanda, Consultant Endocrinologist, Head of Department – Clinical Medicine, National Hospital of Sri Lanka – Colombo, representing Janashakthi Foundation

Janashakthi Foundation – the philanthropic arm of Janashakthi Group, together with the Janashakthi Group companies initiated several support initiatives relating to COVID-19 in response to the nation’s ongoing battle against the pandemic. Furthermore, the Group committed Rs. 50 million for COVID-19 related support initiatives for its ongoing efforts through the philanthropic arm of the Group. 

“Since its inception, Janashakthi has been a long-term supporter of nation building initiatives and we have always recognised our responsibility to support the nation. We have established the Janashakthi Foundation, to streamline our initiatives across our Group companies with a focus on the three key pillars we have identified as sports, education and community development. As such, our initiatives are focused on empowering our communities and giving back to the society,” commented Janashakthi Group Managing Director/Group CEO Ramesh Schaffter. 

“Our ongoing initiatives are in line with the nation’s current need for COVID-19 related aid and we recently donated ventilator units to the National Hospital of Sri Lanka – Colombo and Colombo South Teaching Hospital – Kalubowila. We will continue to expand this initiative to support our community during these trying times and continue to monitor the situation and plan medium to long-term support initiatives relating to COVID-19. We also take this opportunity to extend our utmost gratitude to all the frontline healthcare workers who risk their lives every day to ensure the safety of all Sri Lankans during this pandemic,” he added. 

Janashakthi Foundation together with its Group companies – First Capital Holdings PLC, Janashakthi Insurance PLC, Orient Finance PLC and Kelsey Developments PLC has been playing an active role in combating the COVID-19 pandemic from the beginning of the lockdown in Sri Lanka in 2020. These relief initiatives include strengthening the safety of the frontline services, provision of immediate dry rations to affected communities and providing needed medical equipment to medical facilities and hospital and critical infrastructure development. Through the Janashakthi Foundation, the group pledges to support local communities and the nation in times of adversity to strengthen and support them rebuild their lives. 

In addition to the recent donations, the Janashakthi Foundation will continue its commitment to assist the communities through its initiatives to strengthen the COVID-19 support units of the Colombo North Teaching Hospital – Ragama, Teaching Hospital – Peradeniya, Divisional Hospital – Galaha, Divisional Hospital – Maskeliya, Teaching Hospital – Karapitiya, Teaching Hospital – Ratnapura, Base Hospital – Deniyaya, Teaching Hospital – Jaffna and District General Hospital – Mulativu with essential intensive care unit equipment such as ventilators, multipara monitors and oxygen therapy machines.

Janashakthi Life Director/CEO Ravi Liyanage handing over the equipment to Dr. Shehan Silva, Senior Lecturer in Medicine and Hon. Consultant Physician, Colombo South Teaching Hospital – Kalubowila, representing Janashakthi Foundation