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23,000 children and frontline workers to get Antiviral Livinguard Technology masks
Children and frontline workers of Sri Lanka will receive more than 23,000 masks with a revolutionary technology that will help them to stay protected from the coronavirus.
These masks, which were manufactured by Livinguard, an international hygiene technology company, were donated to World Vision Lanka recently, and will be distributed among children immediately.
The masks were manufactured in Sri Lanka using a revolutionary technology that effectively destroys >99.9% of SARS-CoV-2, which causes COVID-19. These three-layer masks, which are the recommended level of protection by the World Health Organization, continuously capture and destroy the virus thanks to the Livinguard Technology.
Livinguard’s Founder and CEO, Sanjeev Swamy commented, “Livinguard’s vision is to protect the health and wellbeing of people and the planet with the world’s first permanent disinfector. Our priority is to bring superior protection to those that need it most and we are humbled and honoured to be able to donate our masks to children and frontline workers via our partnership with World Vision Lanka.”
Given the recent flare-up of COVID-19 cases in Sri Lanka, this timely donation by Livinguard through World Vision Lanka will keep the children and frontline staff away from the virus and help the government’s efforts to control the spread in the country. Among these, 22,000 will be donated to the children, while the remaining 1,200 to the frontline staff.
Further, these reusable masks can be used up to seven times before washing and can be washed up to 30 times, hence under normal usage conditions, they can be used 210 times.
“At World Vision, we emphasize on partnerships to serve the most vulnerable children and adults,” said Dr. Dhanan Senathirajah, National Director of World Vision Lanka. “I am delighted that we will be able to support 23,200 children and frontline workers through this partnership with Livinguard. The pleasing thing about this partnership is that we know that we are not forced to choose between safety and the environment. Each of these Livinguard masks practically replaces 210 single-use masks, and as a socially responsible organisation, this makes us happy.”
World Vision will distribute the masks to the students from the most-vulnerable schools in the North, East, North West, Uva, and Central regions. Every region will receive 4,400 masks, in medium and large sizes. Medium size masks can be worn by grade eight and nine students, while the large size fits students from grade 10 and above.
Following the novel coronavirus outbreak in Sri Lanka in March, World Vision Lanka has been in the forefront assisting the health workers and other frontline staff, in addition to its program to donate dry rations to the affected families.
Through its COVID-19 response, it distributed Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to over 5,000 health workers and other individuals, while over 27,300 masks and gloves were donated to community health workers and frontline health workers.
Livinguard is a hygiene technology company with a laser focus of reinventing hygiene in the 21st century by bringing its technology to where it is most needed. Currently, it is applying the Livinguard technology to solutions that lessen the health risk and economic impact of the COVID-19 crisis by enabling people to protect themselves, return to work, and take back their lives.
Livinguard is partnering with MAS Holdings in Sri Lanka, one of the world’s most recognized design-to-delivery solution providers in the realm of the apparel and textile manufacturing and recognized for its ethical standards and sustainable working environment.
(World Vision Press Release)
The U.S. Embassy in Colombo welcomed the U.S. Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, former National Basketball Association (NBA) and Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) players Stephen Howard and Astou Ndiaye, from June 8 through 14.
The Public Diplomacy section of the U.S. Embassy said that it would launch a weeklong basketball program intended to harness the unifying power of sports, made possible through collaboration with Foundation of Goodness and IImpact Hoop Lab.
While in Sri Lanka, Howard and Ndiaye, both retired professional basketball players, will conduct a weeklong program, Hoops for Hope: Bridging Borders through Basketball. The Sports Envoys will lead basketball clinics and exhibition matches and engage in leadership sessions in Colombo and Southern Province for youth aged 14-18 from Northern, Uva, Eastern and Western Provinces, offering skills and leadership training both on and off the court. The U.S. Envoys will also share their expertise with the Sri Lanka Basketball Federation, national coaches, and players, furthering the development of basketball in the country. Beyond the clinics, they will collaborate with Sri Lankan schoolchildren to take part in a community service project in the Colombo area.
“We are so proud to welcome Stephen and Astou as our Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, to build on the strong people-to-people connections between the United States and Sri Lanka,” said U.S. Ambassador Julie Chung. “The lessons that will be shared by our Sports Envoys – communication, teamwork, resilience, inclusion, and conflict resolution – are essential for leadership development, community building, equality, and peace. The U.S. Sports Envoy program is a testament to our belief that sports can be a powerful tool in promoting peace and unity.”
SJB Colombo District MP Mujibur Rahuman in parliament demanded to know from the government the reasons for CEB suspending the leave of all its employees until further notice from Thursday.
MP Rahuman said that the CEB has got an acting General Manager anew and the latter yesterday morning issued a circular suspending leave of all CEB employees with immediate effect until further notice.
“We demand that Minister Kanchana Wijesekera should explain this to the House. This circular was issued while this debate on the new Electricity Amendment Bill was pending. There are many who oppose this Bill. The Minister must tell parliament the reason for the urge to cancel the leave of CEB employees,” the MP said.However, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena prevented Minister Wijesekera responding to the query and said that the matter raised by MP Rahuman was not relevant.
The Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) successfully concluded the 8th Annual CIPM Symposium, which took place on 31st May 2024. Themed “Nurturing the Human Element—Redefining HRM in a Rapidly Changing World,” the symposium underscored the pivotal role of human resource management (HRM) in today’s dynamic global landscape. Since its inception in 1959, CIPM has been dedicated to advancing the HR profession through education, professional development, and advocacy, solidifying its position as Sri Lanka’s leading professional body for HRM.
Ken Vijayakumar, the President of the CIPM, graced the occasion as the chief guest. The symposium commenced with the welcome address by the Chairperson, Prof. Arosha Adikaram, followed by the Web Launch of the Symposium Proceedings and Abstract Book by the CIPM President. The event featured distinguished addresses, including a speech by Chief Guest Ken Vijayakumar, President of CIPM, and an address by Guest of Honor Shakthi Ranatunga, Chief Operating Officer of MAS Holdings Pvt. Ltd., Sri Lanka.
The symposium also featured an inspiring keynote address by Prof. Mario Fernando, Professor of Management and Director of the Centre for Cross Cultural Management (CCCM) at the University of Wollongong, Australia.
Vote of Thanks of the inauguration session was delivered by Dr. Dillanjani Weeratunga, Symposium Co-chair.
The symposium served as a comprehensive platform for researchers to present their findings across a wide range of critical topics in HRM. These included Cultural Diversity and Inclusion, Talent Development and Retention, Ethical Leadership and Corporate Social Responsibility, Adapting to Technological Advancements, Mental Health and Well-being at Work, Global Workforce Challenges, Employee Empowerment, and Reskilling and Upskilling.
The plenary session was led by Prof. Wasantha Rajapakse. Certificates were awarded to the best paper presenters during the valedictory session, followed by a vote of thanks delivered by Kamani Perera, Manager of Research and Development.
The annual symposium of CIPM was a truly inclusive event, attracting a diverse audience that spanned undergraduates, graduates, working professionals, research scholars and lecturers. This widespread interest highlights the symposium’s significance in the field of HRM, offering a unique opportunity for everyone to network and learn from scholarly brains.The CIPM International Research Symposium was sponsored by Hambantota International Port, Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT), E B Creasy & Co. PLC, and Print Xcel Company.
US sports envoys to Lanka to champion youth development
Rahuman questions sudden cancellation of leave of CEB employees
