News
ChildFund Sri Lanka launches ‘Sri Lanka Gives Back’ fundraiser
Matching one-to-one donations supporting COVID-19 Emergency Relief
ChildFund Sri Lanka understands the road to recovery from COVID-19 pandemic is long and grueling and Sri Lankan communities need help more than ever before.
Inviting the public to join hands as stakeholders in supporting relief requirements stemming from COVID-19 and also supporting the country’s future development requirements, ChildFund Sri Lanka launched its unique ‘Sri Lanka Gives Back’ fundraiser platform recently.
ChildFund Sri Lanka is committing a one-to-one match for all donations received through the Sri Lanka Gives Back fundraiser. For every donation received either in the form of cash or medical equipment pledged, ChildFund Sri Lanka will donate a similar amount in cash or purchase necessary medical equipment.
ChildFund Sri Lanka invites corporates, the public and like-minded groups or individuals to get involved and partner with them on this journey and generously contribute towards this worthy cause, especially to help keep children and their families safe from the effects of the devastating third COVID-19 wave.
Based on its COVID-19 Response Plan, ChildFund Sri Lanka will implement a series of interventions during the next four months, offering a lifeline to those affected as a result of the pandemic. Funds collected from the fundraiser ‘Sri Lanka Gives Back’ will be utilised to support these communities.
Through these interventions, ChildFund Sri Lanka aims to reach over 200,000 children and their families in its program areas. This includes 226 Grama Niladari divisions in 11 districts. Through ChildFund Sri Lanka’s COVID-19 emergency relief, over 500,000 individuals will benefit on a national scale.
Explaining the initiatives, Nalaka Siriwardena, Country Manager, ChildFund Sri Lanka said, “COVID-19 as a global pandemic is threatening children and their families, creating massive disruption in their lives especially in healthcare, education, access to basic needs and services and social interaction. Our ‘Sri Lanka Gives Back’ fundraiser will enable prompt and comprehensive interventions to mitigate these impacts. We invite the public, individuals and other stakeholders to engage and partner in ChildFund’s emergency COVID-19 relief activities and also future programs towards the development of the country.”
Assisting communities in need, ChildFund Sri Lanka is providing essential foods, dry rations, medicine, masks, sanitizers etc., to the most affected families. These recipients are those inadequately supported through other food distribution programmes.
Recognizing that doctors, nurses, pharmacists and other healthcare professionals are at the frontline in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic and rely greatly on personal protective equipment, ChildFund Sri Lanka is distributing vital lifesaving equipment, safety gears, and disinfectant for strengthening health and hygiene services.
ChildFund Sri Lanka is also supporting the Puthukkudiyiruppu Divisional Hospital to establish a temporary COVID-19 treatment center to improve health facilities in its fight against the virus. Support to setting-up of other centers in rural hospitals is also planned in the future.
Supporting pandemic affected families revive their livelihoods, ChildFund Sri Lanka is also supporting these families in self-employment and income generation activities amidst the new norm.
ChildFund Sri Lanka is appreciative of the willing support to-date of all their magnanimous donors including Global Shapers Kandy Hub, Headstart Pvt. Ltd, John Keells Foundation, Leo Club of Colombo Fort and the Rotaract Club of University Alumni.
Helping the nation and all communities affected by this unprecedented health crisis, ChildFund Sri Lanka is looking to support more projects on a needs basis in the future.
For more information and details of ChildFund Sri Lanka’s ‘Sri Lanka Gives Back’ and ‘COVID-19 Emergency Response Plan’, interested parties may contact Ruwantha Katugaha on +94 716446683 or email rkatugaha@childfund.org
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
