Brandix goes for community empowerment
The ancient Sri Lankan concept of village life revolving around the
tank, the temple and the school has inspired Brandix to adopt a 'model
village' approach to empower communities in areas where the Group has a
manufacturing presence.
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Brandix provided water to three schools in Polonnaruwa under
its ‘Model Village’ community initiative. |
A program to identify and address water-related issues facing people
resident within a five kilometre radius of the Group's factories is
implemented by providing water supply to or upgrading existing
infrastructure in schools, hospitals, places of worship, police stations
and similar community locations.
The company hopes to allocate Rs 5 million per model village project,
through which its factories, usually one of the biggest employers in
each community, become an intrinsic part of the social fabric of the
village through its role as benefactors.
The Group said it envisages extending its largesse to an area within
a 10-kilometre radius of its factories to empower people further afield
under the second phase.
The pilot project for this new model of community empowerment
focussed on Polonnaruwa and has to date benefited students and staff of
nine schools in the district and also the Kaduruwela police station. The
projects directly benefits over 6,000 schoolchildren.
About 750 adults working in the institutions assisted and helped
create greater affinity between the factory and the community, Head of
CSR, Brandix Group, Anusha Alles said.
"The model village approach has a greater impact on the community
than separate projects in different parts of the country and builds a
greater sense of mutual responsibility and belonging that makes the
factory one of the indigenous institutions in the area," she said.
Brandix has chosen Nivithigala in the Ratnapura district as its
second 'model village', Ms Alles said. |
