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Organised by the Enterprise Asia; a non-governmental organisation in pursuit of entrepreneurship development across the region, the Asia Responsible Awards program (AREA) recognises and honours Asian businesses for championing sustainable and responsible entrepreneurship in green leadership, investment in people, corporate governance, health promotion, social empowerment, corporate social responsibility and responsible leadership.
As a responsible corporate entity, SriLankan Cares has been seeking ways to enhance and develop child welfare since its inception in 2003. Touching the lives of thousands of children through a staggering number of social services, SriLankan Cares has been actively engaged in child healthcare projects that intend to transform the lives of children across the country.
The award highlighted their continuous efforts at uplifting the lives of the communities in need. The award was claimed specially for their efforts in 2013 where they ventured on major projects that aimed to uplift child healthcare around the country.
Expressing his thoughts on the responsibility that SriLankan Airlines holds in carrying the nation forward, Kapila Chandrasena, Chief Executive Officer of SriLankan Airlines, stated: “As Sri Lanka’s national career, we have continuously been mindful of our larger role and have always been devoted to every community that we serve; be they our employees, customers, shareholders and suppliers and everyone who makes the SriLankan Airlines family. We are thus pleased to offer the world not only a friendly and an affordable service but also a service that comes from the heart.”
Dedicating 2013 specifically for child healthcare, the projects carried out by SriLankan Cares specifically focused on reducing child mortality, improving maternal health and other social concerns such as disability and heart diseases.
Sharing his thoughts on the purpose behind carrying and implementing projects of this nature, Nishantha Wickremasinghe, the Chairman of SriLankan Airlines, noted: “SriLankan Cares brings together and institutionalises the national carrier’s many programs that have each been independently working towards the company’s goal of uplifting the needy children throughout Sri Lanka. We have consciously involved ourselves in several infrastructure development projects, scholarships, seminars and workshops which enhanced the quality of health and education of children.”
Extending their arm towards guiding the next generation, the on-going and successfully completed healthcare projects initiated in 2013 include setting up of Multi-Disciplinary Child Psychiatry Ward at the Lady Ridgeway Hospital, Colombo, Heart project with Lady Ridgeway Hospital Colombo and ‘Disability Is Possibility’ awareness building campaign.
Identifying child mental health as an area that needs to be given extra attention, SriLankan Cares sketched the initial blueprints for a Multi-Disciplinary Child Psychiatry Ward in 2013 with the signing of MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) between SriLankan Cares and Ministry of Health. A total of LKR 8, 000, 000 was invested on the project and this marks the first instance where a corporate entity of Sri Lanka initiated a project of this magnitude in developing child mental health.
Endeavouring to create a better life for children with heart defects, SriLankan Cares also facilitated the visits of two separate paediatric cardiac teams from Southampton University Hospital, UK. This was part of an exchange program where visiting cardiologists and cardiothoracic surgeons shared their professional expertise and acumen with local medical staff.
Seeking ways to create a positive social transformation, SriLankan Cares strived to create an attitudinal change in society with their ‘Disability is Possibility’ project which enlightened people on the talents of differently abled people. The project aimed at shedding the prejudices set against the differently abled people with special projects carried out through the year.
The highlight of the project was the December Charity Concert which showcased the talents of Emmanuel Kelly to the Sri Lankan audience. The profits of the concert are invested on improving the Preethipura Children’s homes, an on-going project under SriLankan Cares.
Taking the extra leap to help little one’s in need, SriLankan cares also initiated a special program to assist low-income families who do not possess the financial strength to sustain medical treatments in overseas hospitals. SriLankan Cares came forward to assist these families by providing free air tickets for the patient and for the critical surgeries done in overseas hospitals.
As Sri Lankan Cares embarks on its next decade of services, they intend to broaden their scope by extending their arm towards a wider segment of communities with proposals being already made to establish a Multimedia Health Promotion Unit at Maharagama Cancer Hospital and also a project for the Prevention of Violence and Sexual Abuse among the children in Sri Lanka.
