Uber marks 6 Years in Sri Lanka; Committed LKR 337 million to empower local communities during the pandemic
Uber today celebrates six years of providing affordable, convenient and safe mobility options to the people of Sri Lanka. As a caring and responsible corporate citizen, it rolled out LKR 337 million worth of initiatives to relentlessly support local communities over the last two years of the pandemic.
It includes an investment of LKR 250 million to support drivers on its platform to ease their financial burden during the series of lockdowns this year.
Leading with action, Uber continues to make significant contributions to support the nation build back better. It doubled down to make the platform safer for everyone by investing LKR 20.5 million in safety supplies and PPE kits for driver and courier partners. It distributed face masks, sanitisers, disinfectants and installed safety screens in over 4000 cars and Tuks, last year.
Going beyond its ecosystem of driver and courier partners, Uber spent LKR 66.5 million on dry rations and free vaccination rides in partnership with local NGOs, to better aid vulnerable communities across all provinces. It includes free rides worth LKR 25 million provided to frontline healthcare workers and the elderly in collaboration with the Sri Lanka Red Cross Society, this year. Uber also provided LKR 11 million worth of free rides to the general public in partnership with the Prime minister’s Office, to travel to and from vaccine centers.
Commenting on its 6th anniversary milestone, Keheliya Rambukwella, Hon’ble Health Minister of Sri Lanka said, “I’d first like to congratulate Uber for reaching the 6 year milestone in Sri Lanka. I’d also like to thank them for stepping up and supporting us during the pandemic, by offering 50,000 free rides to the Ministry of Health to safely transport frontline healthcare workers and vulnerable communities, in partnership with the Red Cross Society of Sri Lanka. We truly appreciate Uber for the solidarity shown during these challenging times when we required this critical assistance.”
Uber launched in Sri Lanka in 2015 and it quickly became the ride sharing platform of choice by offering convenient, affordable and safer modes to get from point A to point B. Since then, it has served over 2.4 million unique riders and drivers till date.
Thanushika Sivanathan, Head of Uber Sri Lanka, said, “We are proud of what we have achieved in the last six years, and our service to the broader community. I would like to thank every driver and rider on our platform, because we wouldn’t be here without their support. Our journey is only just beginning and we look forward to celebrating many more milestones in the years to come. Our pledge to provide free vaccine rides to support our communities, distribution of dry groceries to unserved communities, PPE supplies to drivers, and creating livelihood opportunities are just a few of the ways we stand committed to moving our country forward.
As cities move, Uber is seeing strong signs of recovery and it remains firm in its commitment to create micro-entrepreneurship opportunities for thousands of Sri Lankans.
About Uber
Uber’s mission is to create opportunity through movement. We started in 2010 to solve a simple problem: how do you get access to a ride at the touch of a button? More than 15 billion trips later, we’re building products to get people closer to where they want to be. By changing how people, food, and things move through cities, Uber is a platform that opens up the world to new possibilities.
