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Singer,
supporting local education through CSR
As part of its corporate social responsibility, CSR, programme
Singer Sri Lanka is making a concerted effort to assist underprivileged
students in rural schools. While education is a necessity
many rural schools are unable to provide their students with
even the most basic facilities. However its not only the schools
that struggle to provide their students with adequate facilities,
families often cannot afford to buy their children the simple
utensils; pens, colour pencils, erasers and stationary they
require to participate in classes.
In Tantrimalai in the Anuradhapura district Singer has undertaken
to provide 400 school bags to the Wimalagana Maha Vidyalaya.
This constitutes as entire population of the school. Since
2005 singer has been providing bags for children at the school
and to date the company has provided over a thousand bags.
Tantrimalai, which borders the Vavuniya district, has been
badly affected by the ethnic conflict and many of the school’s
students have lost parents in the fighting. To these extremely
vulnerable children, in a remote and impoverished area, something
as simple as a school bag can make a real difference. The
children are now able to carry their text books to school
more comfortably without straining their backs and arms. In
an area like Tantrimalai a little extra comfort is particularly
relevant as many children walk several miles a day simply
to reach the school
All over the island Singer is committed to helping both underprivileged
children and the schools they attend. In Kapugama village
in the Matara district children in the local primary school
had to spend their lunch breaks in a rundown playground and
amuse themselves amongst broken, unsafe and rusted swings,
and slides. Earlier this year Singer undertook to restore
the play ground and students can now enjoy their breaks and
lunchtimes in a safe and pleasant environment. Also, 70 children
were presented with school bags in the Primary Section of
the school. In appreciation of the contribution made by Singer
children at the Kapugama School recently held a special assembly
where they sang and performed traditional dances, to thank
the company for its support.
Established in 1877 Singer has put corporate social
responsibility – or more simply the idea that companies
must give something back to, the communities, societies and
countries in which they operate, at the heart of its business
and is committed to helping children receive the education
they deserve. In Kandalama the company has begun a three year
project. The 1st stage of this project was to install a drip
irrigation system to help students understand and gain experience
about small plot agriculture. The 2nd stage of this project
will be to add a new floor to the existing building of the
D S Senanayake Maha Vidyalaya. The second stage of this project
is currently under approvals stage. In Kandy Singer is helping
Hilllwood College refurbish its home economics laboratories.
Once the projects are complete students in both schools will
have access to the modern facilities and equipment they need.
Pointing out that Singer has been established in Sri Lanka
for 130 years Amarasuriya Chairman of Singer Sri Lanka made
it clear that Singer now sees itself as a Sri Lankan company,
with a genuine stake in the future of the island;
“CSR is a vital part of our business but we don’t
see our initiatives as charity rather, by giving the children
the tools they need to study and chart their own futures –
we are making an investment in their future and the future
of the country, which ultimately is our future too.”
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