SriLankan Airlines combines CSR projects with personality development of staff

SriLankan Airlines is helping needy children in various regions of the country through a unique CSR programme that also combines personality development for the airline’s staff.

The latest project saw 22 members of the airline’s staff carrying out Leadership Training and Teambuilding Exercises for students of Galatha Maha Vidyalaya, in Atabage, Gampola.

The programme is being carried out by the SriLankan Airlines Orators Club, which was formed in 2005 to develop the oral communication skills of members of the staff whose first language is not English. Its membership ranges from airport staff to the airline’s security personnel.

Pradeepa Dahanayake, Head of Human Resources at SriLankan, said: “We are tapping into the spirit of community service which is deeply rooted among the 6,000 staff of SriLankan Airlines. At the same time, these projects serve to enhance important skills among our staff such as leadership, communication, and teamwork.”

The National Carrier and its charity arm SriLankan Cares have made the upliftment of children of all ages throughout the country its focus in CSR projects.

The day-long programme at the school for 600 students included a student forum on Leadership, and a teambuilding challenge in climb ing the nearby Ambuluwava Mountain.

Piyal Manawadu, President of the SriLankan Airlines Orators Club, said: “The airline formed the Orators Club to provide opportunities for non-English speaking staff to develop themselves through empowerment with superior communication abilities. We are now using these abilities for the betterment of not just the company but the community at large.”

The airline’s staff also gifted the school a complete PC workstation, 80 library textbooks, a new name board for the school, office and utility display boards, sports materials, and a white board.

Also gave many SriLankan branded models/mementos for them to remember SriLankan Airlines – members witness how those gifts touched teachers, prefects and students.

This was the second such programme to assist a rural school. Earlier, the SriLankan Airlines Orators Club carried out a two-day workshop in Motivation for traumatized children at the Wattegama Girls Home in Kandy.