John Keells Praja Shakthi Digital Learning Initiative expands with Phase 2

Recipients of digital devices from the Praja Shakthi initiative

JKH Chairperson Krishan Balendra handing over a digital tab to a student

 Deutsche Bank Director Head of Global Emerging Markets Sri Lanka Niranjan Figurado handing over a device to a student

• Project by John Keells Foundation in collaboration with Deutsche Bank

John Keells Foundation (JKF) partnered with Deutsche Bank to launch Phase 2 of John Keells Praja Shakthi Digital Learning Initiative recently.

At the event, which was held at the Atrium, Cinnamon Grand Colombo, 80 students from 11 schools in John Keells Praja Shakthi locations of Colombo 2, Ja-Ela and Ranala were provided with tablets and data packages.

The event was attended by Ja-Ela Divisional Educational Director Kulathilaka, John Keells Group Chairperson Krishan Balendra, John Keells Holdings (JKH) Sector Heads – Charitha Subasinghe, Nayana Mawilmada and Nadija Tambiah, JKH Head of CSR Carmeline Jayasuriya, Directors and senior management of Deutsche Bank – Niranjan Figurado, Janath Ilangantileke, Prabath Samindra, Reza Mansoor and Charitha Dumbarage, representatives from Dialog Axiata PLC – Harsha De Zoysa and Nishal Herat, principals and teachers of the schools and the beneficiary students with their parents.

John Keells Praja Shakthi Digital Learning Initiative was launched in 2021 in partnership with Deutsche Bank to facilitate online based learning of disadvantaged school children preparing for public examinations in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The pilot project (phase 1) involved the distribution of a total of 100 Samsung A7 tabs and data packages to selected Ordinary and Advanced Level students in identified John Keells Praja Shakthi locations of Colombo 2 and Ranala for the duration of the respective course of study. Under phase 2, 80 Samsung A8 tabs and data packages were distributed to schoolchildren expanding the locations to include Ja-Ela. Deutsche Bank is the co-founder and John Keells Office Automation (JKOA) and Dialog Axiata PLC are suppliers of devices and data packages respectively at concessionary rates. 

Addressing the gathering, Munidasa Kumaratunga Vidyalaya in Ranala Principal had this to say, “We did not choose the brightest children but the most deserving students who have the potential to do better in their studies. These devices have been an extra support for the children from last year, who will soon face their examinations and we have records to attest improvement in their studies. While thanking John Keells Foundation for this incredible support rendered to our children, we hope and wish they could do this program in a much larger scale next year.”

The initiative was conducted within John Keells Praja Shakthi – the John Keells Group’s business-centric community empowerment initiative managed by John Keells Foundation – which targets and addresses identified community development needs in collaboration with multiple partners in a sustainable manner. Education is one of the six focus areas of John Keells Foundation – the CSR entity of John Keells Holdings PLC (JKH).