Competition for schoolchildren:

Building a better Sri Lanka

Fonterra has partnered with the Mother Sri Lanka Foundation, a group led by the Presidential Secretariat, on a nationwide campaign to encourage and inspire schoolchildren to share their ideas on 'building a better Sri Lanka'.

Nationwide campaign to encourage schoolchildren

'Voice of Youth for a better Sri Lanka' is a national competition open to children from schools islandwide, and requires youth to write or express their hopes, dreams and aspirations for the future of the country.

The competition, endorsed by the Ministry of Education, will touch over 350,000 students in 340 schools across the country.

The call for ideas has already reached schools in Galle, Matara and Hambantota districts.

Participating students were encouraged to be creative and let their imaginations flow as they expressed their views through presentations, street dramas, inspiring speeches and mock radio and television `talk show' interviews.

Achyut Reddy, Managing Director of Fonterra Brands Lanka, said that education and youth development is an important focus for Fonterra in the community.

"The Sri Lankan youth are our future as a nation.

They are tomorrow's leaders in business, and they are tomorrow's leaders in our communities.

We are proud to support a project which inspires tomorrow's leaders to take ownership of their future and contribute meaningfully towards the betterment of the motherland."

Fonterra's support of this project builds on the efforts the company has made to improve nutrition education of youth and families, and rebuild schools and orphanages in the Biyagama community.

Janaki Kuruppu, who leads the Mother Sri Lanka Foundation, said: "We are pleased that industry leaders such as Fonterra along with a few others have pledged their support and commitment towards this project."

"Fonterra's involvement is critical as we jointly believe in a healthier environment for today's youth, and what better way than having youth express it themselves," she explained.

"We are glad to have Fonterra on board with us to steer this project forward, as they share the same passion and enthusiasm towards our cause," she added.