Hemas Piyawara clinches JASTECA CSR Gold Award 2014

Piyawara, the flagship CSR initiative of the Hemas Group clinched the overall Gold Award at the JASTECA CSR Awards 2014.

Executive Director of the Hemas Outreach Foundation Shiromi Masakorala received the award from Chief Guest H. E. Nobuhito Hobo, Ambassador of Japan to Sri Lanka at the awards gala at the Galadari Hotel in Colombo.

Organised by the Japan Sri Lanka Technical and Cultural Association, the JASTECA Awards are organised to encourage public and private sector business entities to adopt and embed Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) as a part of their ‘business policy’, which goes beyond statutory and stakeholder obligations, and then, recognising and rewarding them for their efforts and commitment.

This award was presented to Hemas Holdings PLC in recognition of its pioneering service to Sri Lankan children through the “Piyawara” Early Childhood Development initiative.

Just three months ago, in November last year, Piyawara emerged overall winner in two categories – ‘Top Community Care Companies in Asia 2014’ and ‘Best CSR Campaign – Community Care’ at the prestigious Asia Corporate Excellence and Sustainability Awards 2014 (ACES) Singapore. It won from numerous entries across several Asian countries such as Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, India, Hong Kong and Vietnam.

Launched thirteen years ago, Piyawara is the key Corporate Social Responsibility project of Hemas Holdings PLC in partnership with the Children’s Secretariat of the Ministry of Child Development and Women’s Affairs. It has a holistic approach and focuses on promoting Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) through the establishment of child-friendly Pre-Schools across Sri Lanka.

The project has won international and local awards in the past and is aligned with one of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals – to “Achieve Universal Primary Education” by laying the foundation for successful primary education. ‘Piyawara’ goes beyond infancy to early childhood, helping children to achieve a solid foundation for life-long learning.

“We’re now re-evaluating Piyawara with all our key stakeholders including the Children’s Secretariat of the Ministry of Child Development and Women’s Affairs to take this initiative to the next level and provide an even greater service to the children of this country”, said Executive Director of the Hemas Outreach Foundation Shiromi Masakorala.

The Hemas Group is one of the leading conglomerates in Sri Lanka with a focus on four key sectors – FMCG, Healthcare, Transportation and Leisure.