HSBC and Sunera Foundation partner to assist the differently abled rural youth
Saturday, 14 September 2013 00:00
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HSBC recently joined hands with the Sunera Foundation to launch a series of workshops to improve the lives of disabled individuals through recognition and social integration. The partnership was signed between HSBC Sri Lanka and Maldives acting Chief Executive Officer Sriyan Cooray and Sunera Foundation office Chairperson Sunethra Bandaranaike.
The program, conducted by a group of well trained staff using therapeutic medium of performing arts from the foundation, consists of two sections, a series of workshops and a drama festival. Within a period of one year, 52 workshops will be conducted in the rural areas of the country, namely; Anamaduwa, Chilaw, Puttalam, Horana, Imaduwa, Weligama, Kobeigana and Mawanella to minimise the social stigmatisation of persons living with disability. It will also train and develop these students to uplift their talents and abilities by harnessing the therapeutic qualities of dance, music and drama. In addition, vocational training will also be part of the program, enabling students and their parents to be self-sustainable and sufficient. The drama festival will be held at the end of the program creating a platform to showcase their learning.
Sunethra Bandaranaike said, “All of us at Sunera Foundation believe that everyone deserves equal respect. We celebrate difference. We are committed to creating a society that fully recognises and accepts the contribution of persons living with disability. We truly appreciate the commitment and the support of HSBC to achieving this goal.”
The participants selected will be from areas that are marginalised and entirely forgotten, where the socio-economic conditions are not conducive to their development and inclusion into mainstream society. As a result, they face many unique challenges such as health, education and the enjoyment of equal civic status as others in the country.
Sriyan Cooray said, “Education is one of our main pillars in the sustainability strategy, and as a result many programs have been initiated in the past for the development of students and to harness entrepreneurship thinking for the prosperity of communities and the country as whole. As such we are happy to have partnered with the Sunera Foundation, in extending our support to these individuals and help establish them as equal citizens of the country.”
As a secondary objective, the program aims at distributing knowledge and awareness among the participants’ families, their immediate communities and those with decision-making responsibilities to recognise these individuals as useful members of society.
In addition, HSBC will further offer assistance in organising supplementary programs with the engagement of HSBC staff volunteers to conduct educational programs on arts and crafts, music and interact with the children.
