(LANKAPUVATH | COLOMBO) – ‘An investment in knowledge pays the best interest’, a quote by one of the Founding Fathers of the United States, Benjamin Franklin, resonates more than ever today.Underpinning this statement is the fact thateducation should not only be limited for personal development but also to contribute and shape the advancement of society.
Though Sri Lanka is listedas a developing nation, statistics indicate that our nation is blessed with a high literacy rate.The singular main reason for high levels of literacy is due to the provision of free education in the country.
Free education in Sri Lanka enables children, from across the social spectrum;from a rich child living in a mansion toone living in poverty in a shack,to access and obtain the benefits of the system.
While free education exists, it has proven to be insufficient to ensure the right to education for all children of the nation. This is mainly due to poverty, and the number of children who are unable to go to school is alarming and needsspecial attention.
During the Covid pandemic, the situation became more acute when schools shifted their teaching to online education. It became compulsory for children to source costly electronic devices to continue their education online. The sacrifices and challenges faced by parents to ensure their children receive uninterrupted education were by no means trivial.
Sri Lanka’s leading learning brand, Atlas Axilla’s Sip Savi programme was initiated to support children facing dire situations.From itsinception the programme sought to provide equal learning opportunities for children across the nation.
To-date, through the Atlas Sip Savi programme, over 200 scholarships have been presented to the most vulnerable children who are at risk of dropping out of school due to deprived economic situations. Moreover, during the Covid pandemic, Atlas conducted a unique series of online seminars, to help students prepare for their Grade 5 Scholarship examination as a true testament of the company’s strong commitment to facilitate free, quality learning, demonstrating its role as a socially responsible entity.
In its journey to create equal learning opportunities, Atlas Axilla have partnered the Sarvodaya Shramadana Movement and launched its ‘Light a Future’ initiative, with the objective of facilitating a tremendous undertaking and service to assist many families who are struggling to provide basic needs for their children and to support their children’s education.
The programme was launched with the noble objective of providing 100,000 children the required school equipment for next year. The company has also set up a dedicated team of volunteer Atlas staff who will devote 10,000+ work hours for the duration of the project.
In Atlas Axilla rich history spanning over 63 years, the company has assisted and sustained more than 120,000 children in various ways.In addition, 2,500 teachers and 10,000 parents have also benefited from CSR projects conducted by Atlas.Going beyond social welfare, Atlas Axilla’s deep commitment towards future generations has been demonstrated on numerous occasions and deserves praise.
Recently, the company received yet another positive recognition for work in corporate social responsibility, at the SLIM BrandExcellence Awards 2022 held on 8 December 2022. At the event, Atlas Axilla secured the prestigious ‘Local Brand of the Year’ Gold award and ‘CSR Brand of the Year’ Bronze award.
Commenting on winning the awards, Asitha Samaraweera, Managing Director, Atlas Axillia Co. Ltd. said, “Awards are presented in appreciation. We are humbled by the recognition received at the SLIM Awards. At Atlas Axilla, as the leading brand in Sri Lanka associated with educational equipment, and as a business organization, we are committed to the best of our abilities to ensure that in our yesterday as well as today, andour tomorrow we will strive to educate the future generation and enable to them to receive equal opportunities in education.”
