CDB awards Sisudiri scholarships

Citizens' Development Business Finance Ltd. (CDB) recently awarded scholarships to the third batch of children of three-wheeler owners who obtained the best results at the Grade 5 scholarship and the GCE O/L examinations.

Eighteen boys and 16 girls from different socio income groups gathered at the BMICH with their parents recently to receive these scholarships worth Rs. 1.2 million.

Chief guest Professor of Sinhala, University of Peradeniya Dr. Attanayake M. Herath hands over a scholarship to a winner. Also in the picture is CEO CDB Mahesh Nanayakkara.

Grade 5 winners will receive cash on an annual basis until they complete their O/Ls. The O/L winners will also receive cash on an annual basis until they complete their A/Ls. From this year onwards CDB had decided to double scholarship amounts for all scholarship holders since inception.

The CDB 'Sisudiri' program was launched in 2008 and has since awarded more than 90 scholarships to students from various parts of the country.

CDB's Chief Executive Officer Mahesh Nanayakkara said that the program would encourage education and fulfill the aspirations of the children.

"We're happy to continue the program for the benefit of the children of three-wheeler owners who render a great service to society.

They have dreams for their children and seeing them doing well in life. We're happy to join hands with them and help them realise that dreams", he said. P.Nishal Priyantha, father of P.Shehan Sandanuwan, a scholarship winner from Deniyaya National School said, "As a parent, I am extremely thankful to the CDB for this scholarship program for the benefit of our children. Since we undergo a lot of hardships in educating our children, this scholarship is a great blessing".

Drawing inspiration from Dayananda Gunawardene's famous stage play Nari Bena (a part of the Sinhala Syllabus in the school curriculum) which was also staged at the event, Dr. Attanayake stressed the importance of values. "As you endeavour to pursue academic excellence, you must also maintain and uphold our cultural values - especially respect for elders, parents and benefactors.

It is only then that you can achieve real success in your life".

Addressing the parents, he said, "If you want your child to achieve excellence you must let each child mature on their individual strengths.

A child's strength perceived by parents as being negative might turn out to be positive in the future. Parents need to be mentors and coaches and not merely play the role of traditional parents".

CDB's unique business model that blends rural and urban sector in funding and lending further positions CDB as a net lender to the rural economy enabling it to harness tremendous growth potential in rural and urban sectors.

CDB is at present positioned at the 7th place in terms of total assets among 36 regulated financial institutions registered under the Finance Companies Act with the Central Bank of Sri Lanka.

"As a financial institution serving rural and urban communities, with 34 outlets covering all major cities in the island, the CDB looks to enriching peoples' lives through a range of CSR activities in the future", Nanayakkara said.