CDB Sisudiri Scholarships adds 100 more scholars this year

• 509 scholarships since 2008 with a total of Rs 21.7 m invested
• Recognises both Grade 5 and GCE O/Level high achievers

 Having always believed that empowering the future of a nation would be the key driver to seeing the fruition of national goals, Citizens Development Business Finance PLC (CDB) has presented a total of 509 scholarships since 2008 to high achievers with financial difficulties who excel in Grade Five and GCE O/Level examinations.  

In the last 10 years, this CSR initiative by CDB, which has now invested Rs. 21.7 m since the inception of this Sisudiri scholarship program, has etched a pathway for marginalized and financially disadvantaged students continue their education devoid of interruption. This year, the number of scholarships were increased to 100 grants from the 50 presented annually for the last 10 years, with 60 Grade Five scholars and 40 students excelling at their O/Levels gaining financial empowerment to sustain their educational ambitions and career goals.   

Reasoning that every nation must maximise on the immense potential that younger generations can contribute towards economic, social and environmental targets that are most often ambitious, CDB’s MD/CEO Mahesh Nanayakkara said that it is young people who are single-minded to meet the country’s vision.

“This is why with the right knowledge, competencies and mindset, the nation can set for itself ambitious goals and be confident enough to meet them.  We can do this only if we equip our young people with these fundamentals. By financially empowering them, we are assisting them to drive their personal goals, tagging these to industry objectives and pushing productivity levels to meet national ambitions.  Our Sisudiri scholarships seek out not only the high achievers who have immense potential but those who may have challenges optimising that potential due to financial difficulties.  We bridge that gap with financial security.”

With sustainable education being one of its primary CSR platforms, CDB through all its educational interventions and engagements, prompts not only innovation and a new mindset by making education accessible, but also develops confidence in young people to reach higher career aspirations.  

Selection criteria and the process remains very transparent as CDB ensures that these high achievers excel in their Grade Five and GCE O/Level examinations and come from a financially disadvantaged background. These students are encouraged to become CDB Ranketi savings accounts holders, but the scholarship is open to any student who may or may not have a CDB Rankati savings account.

“By encouraging these young people to consider opening a savings account that offers a high interest rate and an attractive gift scheme, we have expanded the scope of our community investment in education into inculcating a savings habit in our younger people, a trait that must be promoted and encouraged if the entire nation is to develop and prosper,” said Deputy General Manager – Marketing CDB Darshana Jayasinghe.

The 60 Grade Five scholars will receive Rs. 50,000 as a cash grant over a period of five years all the way until they complete their secondary education, while the 40 O/Level scholars gain Rs. 30,000 in total with Rs. 15,000 given to them each year until they complete their A/Levels. Both tranches are vital for any young person given that continuance of their education is at a crucial juncture at these times.

As Nanayakkara remembers, there are countless instances when students who have gained 9As have got entrance into Sri Lanka’s highly competitive universities simply because they continued their education due to Sisudiri.

“To us, this is all the reward we need, because we have made it possible for 509 young people to be the great people they can be.  We have helped them create pathways for themselves that make impossible dreams a reality. For CDB, this is the future,” he said.

Citizens Development Business Finance PLC (CDB) is a public quoted leader in the Non-Banking Financial Institution sector in Sri Lanka with an islandwide 71 branch network that is driven by a state-of-the-art technological platform that has revolutionised the way financial transactions are performed in Sri Lanka.