Deutsche Post DHL Group Partners with SOS Children’s Villages Sri Lanka to Empower Youths

• Novel Youth Memorability Skills and Competencies program launched

Deutsche Post DHL Group (DPDHL), the world’s leading postal and logistics group, recently partnered with the SOS Children’s Villages Sri Lanka to support youth from challenged backgrounds to gain employability and foster empowerment. SOS Children’s Villages Sri Lanka is an umbrella organization under SOS Children’s Villages International.

As part of a global partnership initiated by DPDHL Group in 2011 to uplift the personal and professional skills of youth in developing countries, a unique development program will be launched with the SOS Children’s Villages Sri Lanka.

The Group will launch its Youth Employability Skills and Competencies program, initially at the SOS Children’s Villages in Piliyandala. The program will commence during the fourth quarter of 2018 and will continue annually. It will cover a wide variety of activities held over the course of the year   to help participants gain employment with training in job-hunting skills, personal maturity and social skills. The program will empower youths and enhance their employability.

Commenting on the program launch, Dimithri Perera, Country Manager, DHL Express Sri Lanka, said: “As a socially responsible company, we believe we have a part to play in fostering youth participation in training and employability programs, which will help them to gain the relevant skills and confidence to achieve an independent and sustainable livelihood.”

About 25 youth between the ages of 15 and 20 housed at the SOS Children’s Villages in Piliyandala will have the opportunity to attend these sessions. Employees of DHL Express Sri Lanka and DHL Global Forwarding Sri Lanka will volunteer their time to implement the program and mentor the participants. Selected industry professionals will also assist the students.

“We strongly believe our program will have a positive impact in creating employment opportunities for these young people. Our employees are looking forward to participating in the program and being an inspiring influence for the youths,” noted Najeeb-ur Rahman, Country Manager, DHL Global Forwarding Sri Lanka.

Divakar Ratnadurai, Deputy National Director, SOS Children’s Villages Sri Lanka said, “It is an undeniable truth that the future of our beloved country depends on the children and youth of today. SOS Children’s Villages Sri Lanka has served more than 41,000 children in Sri Lanka over 37 years, giving them a loving home, care, and opportunities to become productive and self-reliant. Through DHL’s mentoring and education program, our youth will gain experience and opportunities in the working world. This program will help the youth gain confidence and skills to enter the working world.”

This partnership is part of the Group’s focus to improve educational opportunity and employability. Education plays a central role in the Group’s corporate responsibility strategy which is based on three pillars, namely environmental protection (GoGreen), disaster management (GoHelp) and education (GoTeach).

Over the past few years, DHL Sri Lanka has engaged in a variety of corporate responsibility initiatives including partnering with the ‘Mother Lanka’ charitable foundation (2017), partnering with Trail Sri Lanka, the 670km walk in aid of cancer treatment (2016), organizing blood donation campaigns, renovating the IT Center at Gangodawila Children’s Home, and projects at Colombo’s Mental Hospital (2015).