COVID-19 Archives

March 7, 2024

The Covid-19 pandemic led to a significant increase in poverty in Bangladesh, pushing formerly non-poor households into poverty, reveals a series of research projects conducted by the Covid-19 Learning, Evidence and Research Programme (CLEAR), a consortium of research organizations working in Bangladesh. The finding was part of emerging evidence from the CLEAR programme discussed at a conference on Knowledge, Power, and Change in Polycrisis: What Can We Learn from Bangladesh for the World, funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office of the UK government and organized jointly by CLEAR, BRAC Institute of Governance and Development (BIGD), Brac University, and the Institute of Development Studies (IDS), University of Sussex from 3-5 March 2024 Dhaka, Bangladesh.

In the opening ceremony of the conference, speakers spoke of the challenges, particularly the worsened socioeconomic inequalities, and also stressed on the lessons that can be learned from Bangladesh’s experience in living through a polycrisis such as the pandemic. Pro Vice-Chancellor and Acting Vice-Chancellor of Brac University, Professor Syed Mahfuzul Aziz, recognized Bangladesh’s relative success in managing mortality during the pandemic while acknowledging socioeconomic challenges such a poverty and the digital divide. “I believe that allocating resources to better prepare us for future crises could actually be instrumental in more effectively tackling their negative effects. This is where research as the ones conducted by CLEAR are so important. Lessons from this conference will show how knowledge and evidence from the local community can enrich the global community,” he said. Dr. Sohela Nazneen, Senior Research Fellow at the Institute of Development Studies and Research Lead for the CLEAR, highlighted the programme’s collaborative nature and its key objectives. “Crises push the boundaries of what we know and what we can learn. CLEAR was established as a co-constructed and co-developed program. This approach underscores our commitment to inclusive research and knowledge generation,” she said. While emphasizing the urgency of learning from crises, Dr. Imran Matin, Executive Director, BIGD stressed upon the immediate value of research at critical junctures, explaining that research needs to look into a crisis’ socioeconomic and sociopolitical impacts on communities and highlighted the importance of translating knowledge into action. “Knowledge matters if we actually take the power dimension into the knowledge perspective,” he added. The CLEAR programme study also found that households resorted to various coping mechanisms to mitigate the economic impact. Prolonged school closures exacerbated educational challenges, and uneven access to social protection and the psychosocial toll of poverty that pose additional barriers to recovery efforts.

The conference will focus on building a future knowledge agenda for Bangladesh that connects local concerns to global priorities and debates in development as well as draw on the work of CLEAR grantees to see how these connect to global debates on increasing inequality, inclusive institutions, digital innovations, knowledge hierarchies, and partnerships

October 30, 2023

Dr.Jayantha-Darmadasa-recognition-image-LBN.jpeg

The Prime Minister’s Office of Singapore has awarded Dr. Jayantha Dharmadasa, Chairman of Nawaloka Holdings and Honorary Consular General of the Republic of Singapore in Colombo, with a COVID-19 Resilience Certificate. This distinction marks a historical milestone as he becomes the first Sri Lankan to be acknowledged by an international body for his outstanding contributions.

The COVID-19 Resilience Certificate, bestowed by the Prime Minister’s Office, Singapore, is an emblem of honour signifying the dedication, relentless support, and remarkable contributions of individuals in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. It is a testament to their unwavering commitment to the global community during one of the most challenging crises in modern history.

Commenting on the official LinkedIn page, Singapore’s Prime Minister, Lee Hsien Loong, applauded individuals who have directly participated or exceptionally contributed to the pandemic response. He stated, “When doors around the world were closed, our people kept our hearts open to help one another, staying stronger together.”

Dr. Jayantha Dharmadasa played a pivotal role in extending vital consular assistance to Singaporeans during the pandemic. His efforts included the safe repatriation of over 40 Singaporeans and their dependents, highlighting his profound commitment to the well-being and welfare of the Singaporean community.

Expressing his gratitude for this prestigious recognition, Dr. Jayantha Dharmadasa shared, “In times of crisis, we discover the true power of human kindness and unity. I am deeply honoured to have been a part of Singapore’s relentless fight against COVID-19, and this recognition only inspires me to continue our unwavering commitment to supporting one another.”

June 20, 2023

Sunday, 18^th June 2023, Colombo; Automotive Component Manufacturers are optimistic about growth following the Covid-19 and Economic Crisis. President of the Sri Lanka Automotive Component Manufacturers Association (SLACMA), Dimantha Jayawardena said, “I guess the worst is over. Sri Lankan automotive component manufacturers have gone through the toughest business cycle from 2020 and through the current economic crisis.”

“Most manufacturers have survived,” he said. “Some are still trying to make the best following the temporary suspension of imported brands, while others are suffering due to low market demand as well as inability to source raw materials.”

In addition to being President of SLACMA, Dimantha Jayawardena is Chairman of the Automobile Sector Advisory Committee for Automobile Components Manufacturing & Assembly Related Industry – Ministry of Industries (MoI), and a Member of the Industrialisation Commission appointed by the President. He is also a member of the Board of Directors and Advisor to several companies.

Jayawardena said that the Ministry of Industries was able to help most of the manufacturers during the hardest times by the allocation of the Indian Credit Line to source raw materials. “It was extremely commendable that the Ministry of Industries took an initial step to help most of the manufacturers who were affected by the temporary suspension, by reviewing and lifting the restrictions following justification of the imports to the MoI. In addition, high interest rates have been severely impacting the industry, and many small-scale manufacturers had to wind up operations during the past year.” He said that the Sri Lanka Automotive Component Manufacturers’ Association has tried its best to support its members by getting involved in necessary interventions via the Ministry of Industries to safeguard the industry.

“As the industry tries to come out of the worst times, SLACMA is now in the process of getting its manufacturers certified by the International Automotive Task Force (IATF) to the 16949 international standard. This endeavour is 50% funded by the Ministry of Industries. SLACMA will also work with financial institutions to obtain their support for small manufacturers to secure loans to upgrade factories and machinery, in order to increase the quality standards and be more competitive in the global supply chains.”

The short-term plan of SLACMA is to work with regional and local counterparts to support JVs and technical collaborations, as it will help the local manufacturers to enter global supply chains much faster, he said. “As the worst is over, there is a bright future for the local manufacturers with the opportunities in the local and export markets with the current earnings being around USD 200 million per year. The 10-year plan of the Ministry of Industries, the Export Development Board and BOI is to achieve USD 1 Billion through exports from this sector. We are confident that this can be achieved.”

March 20, 2023

SEAC is expanding its SMART learning solutions across the ASEAN region.
Pitch Notes:
The post-COVID-19 world is accelerating learning’s transformation, and SEAC is investing heavily in developing world-class SMART learning solutions.

SEAC has launched innovative products and solutions for the Thai market, including two comprehensive Learning Experience Platforms (LXPs).

SEAC is making a significant investment in recruiting top industry talent, developing its own ‘smart’ workforce, and creating a dynamic, energized, and inclusive work environment.

The ASEAN SMART Learning market is expected to grow significantly in the coming years, and SEAC is well-positioned to be a major player in this market.

BANGKOK, THAILAND – Media OutReach – 20 March 2023 – SEAC, a leading corporate and lifelong education innovator, is shaking up the Thai and ASEAN education market with significant investment to expand its SMART learning solutions across the ASEAN region. The world is rapidly moving forward, and current learning methods fail to keep pace; SEAC is poised to capitalize on the growing demand for more effective technology-supported education design and delivery.

SEAC has been developing and testing a range of seamless and cost-effective SMART learning experiences that will bridge learning gaps in the region. James Engel, SEAC Chief Learning Architect, said: “These ‘smarter’ ways of learning to move the experience from an instructor, topic, and event focus to a leaner, technology-supported design and delivery that emphasizes the learner, their needs & context. Our finish line is applied learning that positively impacts their lives and the world around them.”

“Our investment in the Thai and ASEAN SMART learning market is a game-changer for the corporate and lifelong education sectors,” said Ms. Arinya Talerngsri, SEAC’s CEO. “We are committed to offering a comprehensive and engaging SMART learning experiences to a broad range of learners and professionals.”

SEAC has previously launched a new range of innovative products and solutions for the Thai market, including two comprehensive Learning Experience Platforms(LXP) that offer flexibility for learners and their individual needs. They feature personalized learning paths, interactive content, and collaborative learning experiences. The company has also leveraged decades of deep learning design experience and insights to make learning more flexible, social, and convenient.

SEAC is also investing in its workforce. The company has been recruiting top talents in the industry and investing to enhance employees’ capabilities for the future of their industry and to exceed learner’s requirements. This has enabled the company to stay ahead of the curve and deliver cutting-edge solutions to clients.

The Thai and ASEAN SMART learning will grow significantly in the coming years, and SEAC is poised to be a major player in this market. A recent report estimates that the ASEAN Smart Education and Learning market will grow annually by 19.2% and its value will reach US$24.19 billion by 2025. SEAC’s long history of success in the corporate training segment provides a great platform to introduce a new range of solutions into this expansive market. SEAC will continue expanding its regional service with a particular focus on Vietnam, the Philippines, and Indonesia in Q2/Q3 this year. SEAC has also been making inroads into the rapidly evolving K-12 education and University segments, which account for over 50% of the total market value. Government initiatives, such as the Thailand 4.0 national strategy, are expected to drive the growth of the ASEAN e-learning market.

SEAC is a company that potential investors will want to keep a close eye on. The ASEAN region’s large, young, and tech-savvy population has shown their willingness to opt for cost-effective SMART learning solutions that help them grow their skills and empower their lives.

For more information about SEAC and its innovative SMART learning solutions, please visit www.seasiacenter.com

August 2, 2022

What will drive the finance of tomorrow? The COVID-19 pandemic facilitated strong tailwinds for the adoption of financial technology, with millions of businesses going digital. The continuous development of digital banking and investment, AI and machine learning, blockchain, decentralized finance, and fintech in sustainability are expected to be the growth engine for the Asia Pacific region and are the underline factors that will be addressed at the Asia Pacific FinTech month event series conducted virtually on every Thursdays from 4th August to 25th August 2022

A spokesperson from CFA Society Sri Lanka said to help unlock the power of disruptive technologies and to enable digital transformation in business models, customer experiences, and skills of investment professionals, CFA Societies in APAC, in partnership with CFA Institute Asia Pacific Research Exchange (ARX) are teaming up to organize a FinTech Month in August 2022 to provide the latest insights on how the fintech ecosystem is evolving, what impact it brings to the financial services industry, and how investors can best position themselves amid these changes.

FinTech event series will be conducted under four themes Virtual Assets, Deployment of AI in the Financial Services, and Investment Industry, Digital Banking Maturity, and Fintech for Sustainability by an excellent array of speakers and panelists from the Asia Pacific region.

The event will be cohosted by CFA Institute, CFA Societies Australia, CFA Society Beijing, CFA Society Hong Kong, CFA Society India, CFA Society Malaysia, CFA Society New Zealand, CFA Society Pakistan, CFA Society Philippines, CFA Society Shanghai, CFA Society Singapore, CFA Society Sri Lanka, CFA Society Taiwan, CFA Society Thailand in the Asia Pacific region.

The virtual event is free and open to the public register here: https://cfainst.is/3bK6OAo or visit the CFA Institute website www.cfainstitute.org

June 6, 2022

In the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, the country’s IT/ BPM sector has emerged as a shining beacon of resilience and hope. SLASSCOM aims to collaborate with companies in this sector and help them rise to the occasion and adapt their business and work models to cope with the global disruptions caused by the pandemic as well as the prevailing situation in the country with shortages in energy and rising inflation.

As a result of these recent catastrophes, the sector needs to be geared to operate and effectively combat these threats and to understand and adapt to the latest changes. Companies should be receptive and ready to accept the challenge of transforming, be highly resilient and resourceful, quickly adapt to the changing business landscape and be ready for the next wave of growth and future of the IT industry.

Keeping these aspirations in mind, SLASSCOM held a CEO breakfast meeting at the Jetwing Seven Colombo titled “ESG an enabler of growth and value enhancement for knowledge and innovation industry; Turbo charging IT / BPM growth”.

This program was targeted to support organizations to align their business strategy in line with prevailing changes and trends. SLASSCOM and other leading industry specialists shared perspectives on the importance of a growth mindset, agility, ESG adoption to business modules as well as understanding market pain points. They provided insights for organizations to strengthen and enhance their organizational buy-in to attract investors, gain a deeper engagement with stakeholders and enhance their business sustainability and acquire global partnerships by showcasing their focus to be resilient and resourceful.

Ruwindhu Peiris Managing Director at Stax Inc. delivered the first session on the topic covering key elements of a growth mindset and how companies could accelerate and position their business strategy with the prevailing changes. The 2nd session was on the topic “The Role of ESG: addressed by Dr. Ravi Fernando – Chairman/CEO of Global Strategic Corporate Sustainability. These discussion topics provided guidelines on how companies can identify the appropriate criteria and incorporate latest changes to their overall sustainable strategy. It also highlighted the advantages of proactively tackling ESG issues and building a robust ESG program to open up access to large pools of capital.

The speakers also explored how key leadership elements and ESG considerations can be included at all levels of decision-making, whether by higher management, company boards and committees or on a day-to-day basis by the workforce.

Jehan Perinpanayagam, Vice Chairman of SLASSCOM stated “we are acutely aware of the threats facing our planet and the future of our children. We are very keen as a responsible association that our membership adopts the highest standards of compliance and make a meaningful change. SLASSCOM’s vision for Sri Lanka is to be known as a responsible IT/BPM service provider and to create a positive image globally on Sri Lanka’s commitment towards ESG, because as the investor community slowly but steadily realises the importance of ESG, shareholder activism on ESG issues will continue to grow amidst the prevailing situation and we are keen that our IT/BPM industry is well geared for this situation.”

He added “it is never too early or too late to embed a growth mindset, agility, and ESG into an organizational business model. Embracing the best practices early improves valuation and ultimately long-term success. Further, as organizations build their understanding of the risks and opportunities and link these elements into their overall strategy, they will be more equipped to recognize, measure and report on ESG metrics. A key deliverable for companies will be to learn from industry peers who are leading the game and to imbibe the culture of linking each aspect of their business to these latest changes and trends assisting companies to pave the way in making this happen is what we are hoping to achieve through this forum”.

May 18, 2022

By Chaminda Vithanage

After the COVID-19 pandemic hit the world, many organizations changed how they do their business. Today, with remote working becoming the new normal, people can work anywhere in the world by connecting to a plethora of devices and networks. This has led numerous types of cyber-attacks to resurface – from phishing, and ransomware to malware, posing significant risks for businesses, individuals, governments, and economies.

However, organizations have not adequately put in robust strategies to secure their businesses and data. Many of them often go for a traditional defensive cybersecurity approach that focuses on safeguarding the confidentiality and integrity of data. But, threat surfaces are now more extensive than before, and cybercriminals know this. According to Business Insider[1], cybercrime has increased by 600% in 2020 alone. This proves that all the traditional defenses companies have implemented proving inadequate in the face of more sophisticated attacks that grow day by day.

In such a context, every organization must have cyber resilience in addition to cyber security.

“In September 2021, we wanted to raise our employees’ awareness of phishing emails. So, we sent a note seemingly from the HR team with a link to update their vaccination details and log in to provide their credentials. There were some obvious clues like the domain being 99xx and a few typos. It was quite a concern for us when unconsciously, many took the bait and clicked the link. We had two employees who were observant and took the initiative to raise the alert to our IT team.”

What is cyber resilience?

Cyber security is defending your business against cyber threats. Still, cyber resilience pertains to a broader scope of things, taking things a step further as far as cyber security is concerned. As per UpGuard[2], cyber resilience is concerned with maintaining effective operations while preparing for, responding to, and recovering from cyber incidents. This includes detecting and mitigating any cyber threat, patching up vulnerabilities, creating awareness, and educating employees about cyber security. However, a company should be doing these things continuously rather than sticking to an annual plan or something similar.

Additionally, embedding cyber resilience in every element of a business is critical. This includes wrapping resilience into every organization’s process, business unit, and system. Building resilience in every part of a business will ensure that a threat will be tracked and necessary mitigation steps being taken and managed on time without disrupting a company’s brand, finance, and customer trust commitments.

No proper cyber resilience framework

Cyber resilience aims to ensure operational and business continuity with insignificant impact. However, there is no proper mechanism to measure cyber resilience. But, in any organization, the leaders need to have faith in their capacity to react to a cyber-attack and uphold customers’ trust. As of now, we do not have a cyber resilience framework that is being widely accepted by the industry.

On the other hand, the industry has different maturity models that help businesses measure cyber security, supply chain, digital transformation, etc. But to measure cyber resilience, there is no maturity model. What does one look like? This is not just about the capability to reply and recover; it is how rapidly we salvage and what we prioritize.

I believe it should not be another self-assessment method or a list that checks certain boxes. A mature cyber resilience mechanism needs to be flexible, compliant, and uninterruptedly refining. As someone who has been in the industry for 02 decades, I believe the industry should develop a framework that assists an organization and its higher management in understanding the significance of cyber resilience and how it will be accomplished.

Measuring cyber resilience

Most importantly, the framework needs to define a methodology and outlook toward bringing cyber resilience. For example, is your company arranging any spontaneous acts of resilience? Do you develop cyber risk mitigation plans as a practice, or do you only do it when there is an audit? There is always a multi-faceted tactic to resilience, and it should synchronously answer to threats while helping to achieve business goals.

How would you measure cyber resilience? It might involve a few steps:

The organization needs to identify its most critical data and capabilities.
It needs to figure out how well the systems are integrated to understand how vulnerable the business is to attacks. How the company hires and develops the skills of its employees is also vital, and building partnerships with industry players and competitors, and public institutions is also essential.
Most importantly, the approach of the business needs to change so that you are securing your company and enabling the company through security.
Measuring customer trust and transparency should be considered an important step.

Different businesses might face various threats and risks, and there will be no one-size-fits-all approach to cyber resilience. However, the points I have put down above would facilitate a practical process toward cyber resilience. It will help organizations rally all stakeholders around a common goal, monitor investment decisions, and bring forth the practice of constant development. Most of all, cyber resilience should provide leadership with the confidence that when the worst happens, an organization can still deliver on its commitments.

In conclusion

The world has changed since the pandemic. It is no longer enough to secure your organizational systems merely. C-suite executives need to rethink what they will do when they are attacked. Remote work will be here to stay for some time, but cyberattacks are also becoming more frequent and sophisticated. In such a context, whether you are in the public or private sector, cyber resilience will be non-negotiable.

(The writer is Senior Director – Process & Compliance at 99x)

[1] https://www.businessinsider.com/top-un-official-warned-of-cybercrime-spike-during-pandemic-2020-5

[2] https://www.upguard.com/blog/cyber-resilience

May 17, 2022

From the COVID-19 pandemic to its current economic turbulence, Sri Lanka has tackled many challenges thrown at them with resilience. Today however, Sri Lanka is under tremendous unrest and pressure and faces a challenging macroeconomic situation today. There are a bunch of contradicting factors that need to be mitigated – and this will require some difficult decisions. One of the things that can change the fortunes of Sri Lanka is foreign investments.

The role of foreign real estate investment

By its nature, the construction industry opens many opportunities for a foreign investor to consider a country as the ideal spot for their investment. Real estate is an infrastructure asset that adds to the wealth and asset base of the nation. It enables the creation of a stable middle class and secure working class.

Nearly 3/4th of construction sites in Sri Lanka are currently halted due to varying reasons: ever-rising cost of raw materials, unavailability of essential goods due to import restrictions, ongoing forex crisis and more. This has dealt a massive blow to the labour market as construction sites employ large numbers of labourers. It has also impacted many local suppliers of the hundreds of items needed for construction from doors, windows, steel, locks, tiles, glass, wood, and more. Thus it is critical to get the real estate industry moving again. To achieve this, it will be critical to make Sri Lanka an attractive destination for foreign investment.

Tools of change that the leaders of the nation have in their belt

Financial incentives: Now, more than ever, it is critical that foreign investment in real estate be tax exempt. This exemption was mistakenly removed several years ago, at a time when taxes on domestic industries were disastrously slashed. The lack of tax benefits to foreign investors led to a slowdown in future projects funded by foreign exchange and impacted forex inflows.

Simultaneously, the tax cut on local companies led to a draining of the state budget. It left the country extremely vulnerable to a shock like COVID. Today, we hope that strong financial incentives are put in place to attract foreign investors back to Lanka. Without these, markets like India, Pakistan, Thailand, and Dubai will always seem like better avenues for investment.

Policy clarity: It is important for foreign investors to perceive the country as having a stable regulatory environment. The period from 2016 to 2018 saw a lot of sudden changes in policy and processes that resulted in a great amount of uncertainty and trepidation amongst foreign investors. This needs to be avoided during any change of administration as it does long term damage to the country’s reputation amongst investors. Just as an example, the rule on VAT and NBT was changed 3 times in the space of a year during that period.

Protection of investors: A foreign investor must be made to feel welcome and safe. Despite the efforts of an overwhelming majority of forward thinking leaders and bureaucrats, a small minority can do a lot of damage.

In my own case, we were hounded and harassed by some politicians without cause, and were slandered in an extremely unfair and untrue attack by local media. We were attacked for being a foreign company and we lost a lot of business due to this slander. This frightened our staff and made many of our investors decide not to invest in Sri Lanka again. In the same breath, I am also happy to report that in the end, the legal system in Sri Lanka came to our rescue and the courts passed an order protecting us. We survived, shaken but still resolute in our commitment to Sri Lanka. Unfortunately, not all foreign investors have that kind of resolve, especially when there are other markets that offer more welcoming access. The need here is to empower the Board of Investment with real powers to tackle such roadblocks and to protect foreign investors.

I have been investing in Sri Lanka for over 15 years now. We were the first company to invest in Sri Lanka once the war ended. I have seen the resolve and strength of the nation and I am confident that this crisis will pass. I hope that we are able to learn from the crisis and come back better and stronger.

April 4, 2022

Cargo carrier reaches 1 billion vaccine doses milestone 18 months after transporting the first trial shipment of COVID-19 vaccines

Vaccines moved to more than 80 destinations through Dubai, supporting local vaccination programmes

Dubai, UAE 4 April 2022– Emirates SkyCargo has transported more than 1 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines on its aircraft. The air cargo carrier has achieved this historic milestone within a span of 18 months from the first shipment of COVID-19 vaccines trialled in October 2020. More than 4,200 tonnes of COVID-19 vaccines, equivalent to over 1 billion doses, have been moved to over 80 destinations on over 2,000 Emirates flights. Close to two-thirds of the 1 billion doses were transported to developing countries.

Nabil Sultan, Emirates Divisional Senior Vice President, Cargo, said: “From the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Emirates SkyCargo has been focused on supporting global communities in their recovery from the devastating effects of the virus and we have prioritised assistance to developing countries. The strategic location of our Dubai hub combined with the strengths of our modern fleet of widebody aircraft, our purpose built facilities and capabilities in moving temperature sensitive pharmaceuticals allowed us to transport COVID-19 vaccines securely, reliably and rapidly from one corner of the globe to another. Ahead of World Health Day, we’re incredibly proud of our global Emirates SkyCargo team who have pulled out all stops during the pandemic to keep supply chains for essential goods like vaccines up and running. ”

As early as August 2020, Emirates SkyCargo was one of the first global air cargo carriers to begin mapping out the global logistics for the movement of potential vaccines for COVID-19 transport. In October 2020, Emirates announced that it would be setting aside a dedicated GDP certified airside hub for transport of COVID-19 vaccines. During the same month, working with its logistics partners, the cargo division of Emirates transported trial shipments of COVID-19 vaccines through Dubai.

In January 2021, Emirates SkyCargo teamed up with leading Dubai-based companies to form the Dubai Vaccine Logistics Alliance to speed up distribution of vaccines through Dubai to developing countries. In February 2021, the carrier signed an MoU with UNICEF to prioritise transport and delivery of COVID-19 vaccines in support of the COVAX initiative. By early April 2021, Emirates SkyCargo had already transported more than 50 million doses of vaccines.

In June 2021, Emirates SkyCargo expanded its pharma cool chain infrastructure at Dubai International Airport, allowing it to store an additional estimated 60-90 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines at any one point of time. With the global scaling up of vaccine distribution and administration, Emirates SkyCargo facilitated transport of larger volumes of COVID-19 vaccines from manufacturing origins to destinations, reaching 250 million doses by September 2021 and 600 million doses by December 2021.

Emirates SkyCargo is one of the leading global air cargo carriers for the transport of temperature sensitive pharmaceutical cargo. In addition to COVID-19 vaccines, the carrier transports other critical life-saving medicines and treatments on its flights to more than 140 destinations across six continents. An estimated 200 tonnes of pharmaceutical cargo are flown every day on Emirates’ aircraft.

February 16, 2022

Strengthens Tissamaharama, Sooriyawewa, Rambukkana, Welikanda, Aralaganwila, Kandakadu and Kalutara regional requirements facilitating over 1,200 individuals

As 2020 dawned, COVID-19 began to batter the Sri Lankan community with grim consequences. It was evident that the country’s communities and official systems alone could not face the onslaught of the pandemic and needed backing of capable supporters to overcome the challenge. With this realization, Hemas Consumer Brands, a leader in Sri Lanka’s FMCG sector, was a first responder to assist COVID-19 affected communities via multiple support interventions.

The assistance provided by the company to COVID affected communities and the country’s health care infrastructure has been immediate and consistent. These included donations of essential items, personal care products and much needed crucial medical equipment at healthcare institutions. The company has continued community support to families facing social- economic challenges throughout the pandemic and in the recent past focused its community efforts in Tissamaharama and Sooriyawewa areas by providing food and essential items to over 200 households that were affected.

Apart from COVID, parts of the Sri Lankan community were also hit by catastrophic natural disasters. Hemas rising to the need of the hour assisted 240 landslide hit households in Rambukkana, along with a donation drive of dry rations and other essentials to affected individuals in Rambukkana alleviating their pressing needs.

Sabrina Esufally, Director of Business Development and Innovation, Hemas Consumer Brands commented: “Now more than ever before, Sri Lankans need to support each other to navigate the economic and social challenges brought about by the current context. These challenges have placed considerable strain on family well-being. At Hemas, the wellbeing of our communities is of paramount importance to us, and we place a lot of importance in responding to the needs of vulnerable families. Since the beginning of the pandemic, the entire Hemas Consumer Brands team, has used its platforms to assist those in need, and we will continue to do this in the coming months.”

Hemas Consumer Brands also supported donation drives of likeminded voluntary organizations upon request, handing over essential items, food rations to families and households affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in Arapalakanda, Kalutara while also extending assistance by donating their own personal care, baby care and dry ration products to expectant mothers in the Welikanda, Aralaganwila and Kandakadu areas. Continuing the philanthropic effort, the Company also facilitated another donation drive to the Government Midwifery Service Association in Kandy which coincided with two blood donation drives.

During these difficult times, Hemas Consumer Brands stands firmly committed to extend its helping hand to the Sri Lankan community.

Older Posts

IDS-BIGD-FCDO conference on crisis response and resilience in the wake of Covid-19

Dr. Jayantha Dharmadasa receives prestigious COVID-19 Resilience Certificate from Singapore’s Prime Minister’s Office

After Covid-19 and Economic Crisis – Automotive Component Manufacturers Optimistic About Growth

Thailand’s SEAC Eyes Bold Expansion in the ASEAN SMART Learning Market

CFA Institute hosts Asia Pacific Fintech Month in August 2022

SLASSCOM organizes C-Suite Round Table Forum on driving the IT /BPM Industry adapt to the latest changes & trends to their business strategies and models

Cyber resilience: Thinking beyond cyber security in the ‘next normal’

Attracting foreign real estate investments amidst the economic turbulence in Sri Lanka

1 billion vaccine doses: Emirates SkyCargo surpasses a historic landmark for COVID-19 vaccine transportation

Hemas Consumer Brands remains committed to helping those in need due to COVID-19 and other emergencies