Business

Hemas Outreach Foundation Celebrates International Day of Down Syndrome

Published

5 years ago

2022/03/29

Hemas Outreach Foundation, the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) arm of the Hemas Group together with AYATI National Centre for Children with Disabilities marked International Day of Down Syndrome on March 16 at the Ayati Centre in Ragama. Held with the goal of raising awareness about their social movement ‘(Treat All Alike)’ the event also launched a new song that lends a voice to Down Syndrome children. ‘එItමු’ is aimed at empowering children and families with Down Syndrome by providing a forum to acknowledge their rights and advocate inclusion in today’s society.

“The social movement was created to raise awareness for Down Syndrome children, who are often overlooked in society. We as Hemas believe in an inclusive society where no child is left behind and our initiatives at Hemas Outreach Foundation focuses on achieving this goal. It is estimated that approximately 20% of children in Sri Lanka have some form of a disability. The Ayati Trust Sri Lanka seeks to create an inclusive society to prevent persons with disabilities from facing prejudice and a lack of access to specialised services. As we mark the World Down Syndrome Day, it is critical that we all work together to break the stigma. As a company that promotes ‘healthful living,’ we look forward to making the world a more inclusive place by creating a platform for families to air their concerns and receive much-needed community support. These children have special talents that needs to be recognized. We have to celebrate them and treat them as equals”, stated Shiromi Masakorala, Executive Director, AYATI Trust Sri Lanka and Hemas Outreach Foundation.

The ceremony was graced with the presence of many special guests standing together in support of creating an inclusive world. Past Global President of Rotary International K. Ravindran attended the event as Chief Guest of the event. Further English, Sinhala and Tamil instructional pamphlets on Down Syndrome were handed over to the Director of Social Services, Chandana Ranaweera Arachchi, which is to be distributed to the 331 Divisional Secretariats in the country.

“From all the facilities I have seen around world, AYATI ranks as one of the best. Hemas is living true to the tagline ‘business goes beyond profits.’ It is also important that we celebrate the carers; each circumstance has its own group of heroes who we should recognize. The need to integrate children into society is vital, integrating children into the mainstream enhances everyone’s learning. It fosters a giving atmosphere; expectations increase on both sides – to rise to difficulties, and the other children also rise to become more compassionate” added the Chief Guest of the occasion, the Past Global President of Rotary International, K. Ravindran.

Hemas Holdings PLC is aiming to create a world that encourages a society that ‘leaves no child behind’ while promoting ‘healthful living, because we believe every family deserves a better tomorrow’ This fundamental objective will inform the cause and aid in the eradication of the stigma they experience daily. The new song launched on the day by Amila Jayaswarna focuses on treating children with Down Syndrome with love and respect.

Roshan Mahanama, Brand Ambassador for Hemas Outreach Foundation and Trustee of Ayati Trust Sri Lanka had this to say at the event: “As a society we must treat everyone equally. Parents must engage and include their children in all activities. I feel the Ministry of Education should do more to foster an inclusive atmosphere. We need to show these children greater love and kindness and play a part in making the communities see the special talent they have.”

Join the Social Movement of the Hemas Outreach Foundation to educate the public and eradicate the stigma attached to children with Down Syndrome: http://web.facebook.com/ekasesalakamu

AYATI National Center for Children with Disabilities is a partnership between theFaculty of Medicine of the University of Kelaniya, Hemas Holdings PLC, MAS Holdings, Roshan Wijerama Foundation, Sri Lanka Army and the Rotary District 3220

Established under Hemas Holdings PLC, the Hemas Outreach Foundation has been leading the Group’s purpose of promoting ‘healthful living’ through transformative corporate social responsibility. The mission of the foundation is to champion ‘Healthful Living’ for a better life through holistic interventions for Sri Lankan Families where no child is left behind. The foundation operates as a Trust, managed by an eminent board of trustees.

All News Advertisement

Business

ComBank hands over fully refurbished wards at De Soysa Hospital for Women

Published

22 hours ago

2026/10/4

Thilina Walpola

Pictured here are the representatives of the Bank and senior officials of the hospital at the ceremonial handing over of the refurbished ward.

The Commercial Bank of Ceylon recently handed over Wards No. 03 and 04 of the De Soysa Hospital for Women, after the completion of a comprehensive renovation project launched in March this year to mark International Women’s Day.

Wards 03 and 04 handle a substantial share of the hospital’s patient load, and account for approximately 2,500 to 3,000 deliveries and 4,000 to 5,000 admissions annually. Their refurbishment was designed to significantly enhance patient care, safety and comfort, and directly benefit thousands of mothers and newborns.

Five Trustees of the Commercial Bank’s Corporate Social Responsibility Trust participated in the formal handing over of the refurbished wards to the hospital authorities. They were Sharhan Muhseen, the Bank’s Chairman, Raja Senanayake, Deputy Chairman, Sanath Manatunge, Managing Director/CEO, Hasrath Munasinghe, Chief Operating Officer, and Prasanna Indrajith, Chief Financial Officer.

Established in 1879, the De Soysa Hospital for Women is the first maternity hospital in Sri Lanka and the second oldest in Asia and is credited with, among others, performing the country’s first caesarean section in 1905 and establishing one of its earliest organised operating theatres in 1907.

The Commercial Bank’s Corporate Social Responsibility Trust, through which this project was implemented, has via its healthcare-related interventions supported more than 100 government hospitals with essential equipment and infrastructure, contributed to emergency medical services through the ‘Adopt an Ambulance’ initiative, and implemented targeted community health interventions such as water storage solutions for families affected by kidney disease.

Business

IIHS expands global nursing pathways

Published

22 hours ago

2026/10/4

Thilina Walpola

Dr. Renuka Jayatissa and Dr. Kithsiri Edirisinghe speaking to the media

The International Institute of Health Sciences (IIHS) Multiversity is expanding its international education programmes with the aim of creating overseas employment opportunities for Sri Lankan nurses and allied health professionals while contributing to foreign exchange earnings.

Speaking to the media during a conference at IIHS Multiversity in Kerawalapitiya, Dr. Kithsiri Edirisinghe, CEO, Co-Founder and Dean of IIHS aid that the institute has established academic partnerships with overseas universities and higher education institutions, including the University of Surrey in the UK, Deakin University in Australia, Metropolia University of Applied Sciences in Finland, Asia e University in Malaysia and SUNY Canton in the United States.

Under its ‘Study in Sri Lanka, Graduate to the World’ model, students can complete foundational and diploma-level qualifications locally before progressing to international top-up degrees or overseas employment.

Dr Edirisinghe said the model could substantially reduce the cost of obtaining internationally recognised qualifications. It estimates that completing a four-year bachelor’s degree at the University of Surrey in the UK would cost about USD 145,700, including tuition and living expenses, compared with about USD 27,750 through the IIHS pathway in Sri Lanka.

Dr Edirisinghe said the institute’s focus on overseas deployment addressed both Sri Lanka’s economic needs and the growing global demand for healthcare workers.

“Our winning model is producing job-ready, registration-ready healthcare professionals who can seamlessly enter foreign healthcare systems,” he said.

IIHS, which began operations in 2002 as the American College of Health Sciences, established its institutional base in Welisara in 2008 and launched its purpose-built greenfield multiversity campus in 2023.

The institute said it has upgraded the qualifications of more than 5,000 government nurses, supported over 2,500 youth on international employment pathways and trained more than 1,000 allied health professionals. It has also carried out over 250 community health projects.

The institute has identified Germany and Japan among its target markets, with pathways planned for 2,000 nurses for Germany and a one-year preparation programme linked to around 4,000 healthcare positions in Japan.

Dr. Renuka Jayatissa, Vice-Chancellor and a specialist medical doctor, said demographic changes and the growing burden of non-communicable diseases were changing healthcare requirements in Sri Lanka.

Business

Sampath Bank launches Sri Lanka’s first community-powered book discovery platform at Colombo International Book Fair

Published

22 hours ago

2026/10/4

Thilina Walpola

Sampath GPay customers can enjoy 25% cash back on Book Fair purchases

Sampath Bank PLC has launched Sampath Book Finder, Sri Lanka’s first community-powered book discovery platform, giving visitors to the Colombo International Book Fair a faster and more seamless way to find the books they are looking for across the fair’s 150+ stalls, while also opening up new opportunities to discover titles recommended by fellow readers.

Introduced on the opening day of the Colombo International Book Fair on 25 September, Sampath Book Finder brings together digital innovation and the collective knowledge of readers to address a familiar challenge at one of Sri Lanka’s largest literary gatherings, where the scale of the fair can make locating a particular title a time-consuming exercise. When a book proves difficult to locate, visitors can access bookfairtracker.com or scan the designated QR code and submit a request to the community, allowing readers who have already spotted the title to share its location and help others find it without having to search stall after stall.

Commenting on the initiative, Milinda Weerasinghe, Chief Marketing Officer, Sampath Bank PLC, said, “At Sampath Bank, we believe meaningful innovation begins by identifying everyday challenges and creating solutions that make a real difference. Sampath Book Finder brings this thinking to the Colombo International Book Fair by turning the collective knowledge of readers into a real-time digital solution, empowering them to find what they are looking for, discover something new and help others do the same, while making the overall experience more convenient and connected.”

The platform also turns book discovery into a shared experience, allowing visitors to recommend books they encounter by sharing the title, publisher, hall and stall number, which enables fellow readers to discover sought-after titles and recommendations while making it easier to locate them within the fair.

Sampath Bank’s longstanding association with the Colombo International Book Fair also continues in 2026, marking more than 20 years of partnership, with the Bank serving as the Official Banking Partner for this year’s fair. As part of its presence at the event, SampathCards offer 25% cashback for Sampath GPay customers on their purchases and 3 months 0% instalment plans for book purchases via Sampath credit cards, while visitors can also access banking services through the Bank’s physical presence at the fair. Customers registering to open selected Fixed Deposits at the premises will receive an additional 0.25%, adding further value and convenience for visitors.