AMCHAM, Teejay Lanka and Habitat Sri Lanka join hands to uplift sanitation facilities at schools

The second-grade students of Sumedha Maha Vidyalaya in Kosgama, stand proudly outside their brand-new toilet units, along with the school’s faculty members and AmCham, Teejay and Habitat Sri Lanka’s senior management staff

A young student of the Maniyangama Maha Vidyalaya in Dehiowita, setting an example as she demonstrates the steps of handwashing as she is earnestly observed by her classmates

The three newly completed toilet units at the Dr. N.M. Perera Central College in Yatiyantota 

The Helping Hands project, a three-year partnership between the American Chamber of Commerce in Sri Lanka and Habitat for Humanity Sri Lanka, recently completed its first phase with the support of Teejay Lanka PLC, reputed corporate partner. 

Positively impacting over 3,000 students, the project involved the provision of three toilet units each to three government schools in Yatiyantota and Dehiowita in the Sabaragamuwa Province, and Homagama in the Western Province. Management representatives of Teejay Lanka PLC, AmCham Sri Lanka and Habitat Sri Lanka were present at the handover ceremonies, together with the students and faculty members of the respective schools, held recently. Several hygiene awareness sessions on a range of topics, from food safety to appropriate sanitation practices, were also conducted by local public health inspectors (PHIs). 

Teejay Lanka PLC Senior General Manager – Corporate Communication and CSR Samadhi Weerakoon said: “Providing schoolchildren with proper sanitation facilities and hygiene awareness programs will pave the way for the students to have a clean, healthy, and happy childhood. We look forward to continuing these efforts in line with our corporate CSR footprint of improving sanitation in rural communities and driving change that will impact generations to come.” 

AMCHAM Sri Lanka CEO Vrai Raymond said: “Understanding the importance of sanitation has been key in ensuring that we work towards mitigating the adverse impacts of the lack of thereof, such as the risk of diseases and infections, absenteeism in schools, and an unclean environment. We look forward to implementing a long-term plan with Habitat Sri Lanka, to ensure that the students are provided with proper sanitation facilities, in line with UN SDG #6 – Clean Water and Sanitation, promoting a better world for all.”

Partnerships such as the ‘Helping Hands Project’, with a Water, Sanitation & Hygiene (WaSH) focus, have been integral in empowering all sectors to explore avenues to ensure a better tomorrow for the next generation of the nation.