Double A Sri Lanka rewards winners of ‘Friends of the Planet’ campaign

Back row (from left): Chethika Hapugalle, General Manager, Double A Pulp and Paper Company Sri Lanka; A.S. Hewage, Additional Secretary - School Activates - Ministry of Education; Thirawit Leetavorn, Vice President, Double A Pulp and Paper Company Limited; Akila Viraj Kariyawasam, Minister of Education; W.M. Bandusena, Secretary, Ministry of Education; M. J. J. Fernando, DDG - Environmental Education & Awareness Division, Central Environmental Authority; and Damayanthi Balasuriya Director of Education - Agriculture and Environmental Studies. Front row (from left): A. Thevakanthan (Project Teacher, Vincent Girls’ High School, Batticaloa), students Primraj Ravichandra, Abarna Kumarakuruparan, Litharshika Sadatchararajah, Thuwaraha Suntharalingam, Tharshana Thevaraj and Principal, Vincent Girls’ High School, Batticaloa R. Kanagasingam

Vincent Girls’ High School, Batticaloa emerged Overall Winners in the final round of the ‘Friends of the Planet’ project conducted by Double A in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and the Central Environmental Authority. 

Mayurapada Central College, Narammala and Pallivasalthurai Muslim Maha Vidyalayam, Kalpitiya clinched second and third place respectively.

The awards ceremony was held recently at the Ministry of Education auditorium. The Chief Guest at the occasion was Education Minister Akila Viraj Kariyawasam. Also present were Prof. Lal Mervin Dharmasiri from the Central Environmental Authority and Thirawit Leetavorn, Senior Executive Vice President of the Double A (1991) Public Company Ltd.

Members of Vincent Girls’ High School, Batticaloa were given tablets and will be sent on an all-expenses-paid trip to Thailand where they will see the award-winning KHAN-NA sustainability project carried out by Double A.

The paper from the KHAN-NA project is a landmark effort to make optimum use of the vacant space between rice fields in Thailand, owned by local farmers. During the process, the KHAN-NA project’s previous unproductive land is transformed into a productive resource, which provides additional income to over 1.5 million farmers when they sell the sustainable fibre-source back to Double A.

The teams from Mayurapada Central College, Narammala and Pallivasalthurai Muslim Maha Vidyalayam, Kalpitiya received valuable tablets and certificates.

Double A ‘Friends of the Planet’ is a CSR project which was initiated in February 2016 to promote and educate schoolchildren island-wide on environmental protection. Seven schools were selected to implement their innovative projects under the guidance of the Ministry of Education Director of Education (Agriculture and Environmental Studies) and the Central Environmental Authority. This project was monitored by the Director of Education (Agriculture and Environmental Studies) and the Central Environmental Authority. 

According to the campaign guidelines, the competing schools selected a team of five students above the age of 15 to come up with a cost-effective and groundbreaking solution to an environmental problem. 

Under the guidance of a teacher, each team developed and implemented a project within a period of three months. Upon completing the project each team compiled a detailed report which they presented to the expert panel of judges from Double A for evaluation. 

“We are pleased to announce the winners who, with their creativity and intellect, were able to craft solutions to larger problems and awareness of how important it is for everyone to band together to save the planet. Armed with innovative ideas, these students are important stakeholders in a new way of life that will help save the planet. Judging from the success of this particular campaign, our belief in young minds was well-founded,” said Leetavorn, who flew into Colombo for the ceremony.

Leetavorn is the Senior Executive Vice President of Double A. He is a key member of the team leading the global consumer expansion of the Double A brand. He currently leads market development for Europe and the Americas.