779 prisoners pardoned for Sinhala & Tamil New Year

Lankapuvath | Colombo | 14-04-2024 |
779 inmates who are serving sentences in prisons in Sri Lanka have been pardoned on (13), in view of the Sinhala and Tamil New Year.

768 male prisoners and 11 female prisoners who are eligible for special state amnesty were released.

The Prisons Department stated that the eligible prisoners from prisons around the country were released today as part of this special amnesty program.

Meanwhile, on the occasion of the Sinhala and Tamil New Year, the Prisons Department has also allowed relatives to visit the inmates of prisoners today (14). It was noted that the relatives have brought food, sweets and sanitary items to prisoners today, under the existing rules and proper hygienic protocols.

Siyapatha Finance Celebrates the Power of Women
Empower Her, Empower a Nation

Lankapuvath | Colombo | 03-04-2024 |
Empowering her is to empower a nation. Bringing its deep-rooted values to the spotlight this International Women’s Day, Siyapatha Finance PLC united together to celebrate the collective strength, power and achievement of woman and womanhood across the Island Nation.
In hopes of enhancing women’s role in taking leadership, Siyapatha embarked on a special workshop under the theme of “Rise, Shine, and Thrive”, conducted by renowned corporate and personal trainer Irushi Aluwihare.

Siyapatha Finance prides itself in the inclusive and prosperous working environment it has fostered over years of operating in the local corporate sector. Allowing women the freedom to break barriers and reshape the future of the country has been at the heart since inception.
Setting an example to leaders across industries, the company attributes the 40% women’s representation on all tiers to its policy as well as strong belief that creating equal opportunity for growth, regardless of gender and other societal norms, makes way for a strong and deserving team of employees.

The 23% women’s representation among Siyapatha’s customers is further testimony to its vision to empower women to take charge in building a resilient economy and Sri Lanka.
Since its inception in 2005, Siyapatha Finance has contributed to the efforts of women entrepreneurs emerging from all corners of the country. This International Women’s Day, the company aims to launch a host of initiatives under the theme of “Siyapatha Finance Liyaka Mahima”.

As part of unlocking the true potential of women, Siyapatha is determined to carry out island-wide educational and financial literacy programmes throughout the year, focusing on enlightening Sri Lankan women on its impact on the entire nation.
Siyapatha Finance PLC, the largest fully owned subsidiary of the Sampath Bank Group, boasts an island-wide network of branches, including in the North East, ensuring their customers are provided with the best-in-service delivery standards. Over the past 18 years, the company has contributed to the development of small and medium entrepreneurial efforts as well as fulfilling individual financial needs across the island.

Champika Thalgodapitiya

Empowering communities through sustainable water practices

Lankapuvath | Colombo | 03-04-2024 |
Ripples of Difference: Empowering communities through sustainable water practices

In the rich tapestry of Sri Lanka's history, ancient civilizations developed hydraulic engineering systems over 2,000 years ago. Today, these reservoirs, comprising over 1,000 cascades and 15,000 small tanks, remain integral to rural communities, sustaining livelihoods and ensuring food security amidst modern challenges. However, according to the UNDP, approximately one-third of the population faces vulnerability and deprivation concerning water sources. Communities in the dry zone consistently grapple with water scarcity, with the issue being particularly acute in the Northern region due to disparities in water equity and accessibility.

In response to this challenge, a coalition of leading INGOs and NGOs, including ACTED and We Effect, joined forces with support from The Coca-Cola Foundation. The coalition sought to empower communities in the Monaragala, Anuradhapura, and Batticaloa regions. Prior to their intervention, communities grappled with the difficult reality of water scarcity. "We relied on well water and reservoirs, even for drinking," shares a resident, highlighting the severity of the situation.

We Effect, with funding from The Coca-Cola Foundation, undertook initiatives in Thammennawa village to enhance irrigation and drinking water quality while empowering the community. This involved rejuvenating century-old reservoirs, increasing water capacity, and enabling year-round cultivation on 200 acres, benefiting 476 families. Over 300 women were integrated into the village Farmer Cooperative Society, with 100 undergoing entrepreneurship training, leading to significant improvements in water availability, agricultural productivity, and women's economic empowerment.

Additionally, We Effect spearheaded the revitalization of three reservoirs in Batticaloa, further expanding access to water and ensuring clean drinking water for over 1,000 families. Mayooran Thevasigamany, Country Director for We Effect Sri Lanka, stated, “Through a cooperative approach championing women's leadership, this initiative has fortified farmers' primary cooperatives, expanded access to agrarian water to more than 3,500 families, and ensured clean drinking water for over 1,000 families. It stands as a beacon of women's entrepreneurship development, providing increased economic opportunities, and has elevated waste management practices in our selected communities.”

ACTED Sri Lanka's projects, such as the Samurdhi Tank initiative, significantly impacted local agriculture and community livelihoods. With increased water volume and improved irrigation methods, farmers experienced 16% income increase, benefiting 400 households. The projects also fostered strong community engagement, with a 40% rise in Water Resources Development Society membership, showcasing the organization's dedication to sustainable water management and community development.

"We are excited to be part of a coalition that has successfully brought together multiple partners to empower communities”, Saadia Madsbjerg, President of The Coca-Cola Foundation, expressed. “At The Coca-Cola Foundation, our goal is to continue making a measurable and lasting impact for communities, contributing to ripples of positive change in Sri Lanka.'"

The success story of rejuvenating Sri Lanka's water reservoirs stands as a testament to the power of collaborative efforts. "We urge fellow private sector entities to unite with us in driving positive change, emphasizing that the impact extends beyond individual communities to shape the destiny of an entire nation. Together, let's make a meaningful impact in the lives of many today and pave the way for a brighter future for generations to come”, Lea Schumacher from ACTED calls.
About The Coca-Cola Foundation

The Coca-Cola Foundation’s mission is to make a difference in communities around the world where The Coca-Cola Company operates and where our employees live and work. We support transformative ideas and institutions that address complex global challenges 2 and that leave a measurable and lasting impact. Our giving is focused on sustainable access to safe water, climate resilience and disaster risk preparedness and response, circular economy, economic empowerment, and causes impacting our hometown community. Since its inception in 1984, The Coca-Cola Foundation has awarded grants of over $1.5 billion in service of its mandate to strengthen communities across the world.

Lassana Agri to develop 10000 acres of Greenhouse farming | ලස්සන ඇග්රි අක්කර 10000 හරිතාගාර ගොවිතැන් සංවර්ධනය කිරීමට යයි

Lankapuvath | Colombo | 31-01-2024 |
PHOTO | Sumit Suman (Vice President - Sales & Marketing Agriplast Protected Cultivation), Abhishek Bhatt (Director - Sales & Marketing Agriplast), Dr. Lasantha Malavige (Chairman - Lassana Group), Prasad Senadheera (CEO Lassana Agri Innovations) and Joop Vegter (Horticultural inclusive Business Entrepreneur). Picture by Sulochana Gamage


Lassana Agri to cultivate 10,000 ha of land within five years using high tech agriculture, Dr Lasantha Malavige, Chairman Lassana Agri Innovation told media in Colombo.

He said the primary objective of Lassana Agri is to uplift farmers from poverty by transitioning them to modern agriculture, providing predictive revenue models for securing financial support to expand production capacities. Therefore, the project strives to transfer technology and best agricultural practices, empowering farmers to produce high-quality, safe food at affordable prices for consumers.

In a groundbreaking move, Lassana Agri Innovations is set to reshape modern agriculture in Sri Lanka, addressing issues like soaring prices, low quality, excessive chemical use, and vulnerability to climate change. This transformative project involves providing farmers with state-of-the-art technology, greenhouses, and accessories, along with a buyback agreement to ensure guaranteed returns.

The collaboration with Agriplast Protected Cultivation Pvt Ltd is a significant milestone, making high-tech and mid-tech greenhouses more affordable for local farmers, entrepreneurs, and investors keen on transforming Sri Lanka’s agriculture.

The partnership with Agriplast Protected Cultivation Pvt Ltd opens doors to advanced greenhouse solutions, promising higher yields and safer food production. With over 70 years of combined experience, Agriplast Protected Cultivation Pvt Ltd has been a game-changer in the agricultural sector, assisting over 2.4 lakh farmers. Renowned for their top-notch protected farming products, including mulch films and greenhouse covers, Agriplast Protected Cultivation Pvt Ltd has significantly increased crop yields and promoted sustainable farming practices. Their commitment to educating farmers aligns seamlessly with Lassana Agri’s vision.

Lassana Agri Innovations guides farmers in choosing the right technological solutions, offering advice, guidance, and support for higher yields. The company plans to launch a first-in-the-country incubation and knowledge-sharing centre for hi-tech farming at its 7-hectare greenhouse facility in Divulapitiya.

According to Prasad Senadeera, CEO of Lassana Agri Innovations, this centre will empower new entrants and farmer entrepreneurs, doubling the extent of greenhouse cultivation every two years over the next decade. (MFJ-Daily News)

සුමිත් සුමන් (උප සභාපති - විකුණුම් සහ අලෙවි ඇග්‍රිප්ලාස්ට් ආරක්‍ෂිත වගාව), අභිෂේක් භාට් (අධ්‍යක්ෂක - විකුණුම් සහ අලෙවි ඇග්‍රිප්ලාස්ට්), ආචාර්ය ලසන්ත මලවිගේ (සභාපති - ලස්සන සමූහ ව්‍යාපාරය), ප්‍රසාද් සේනාධීර (ප්‍රධාන විධායක නිලධාරී Lassana Agri Innovations) සහ Joop Vegter (Horticultural). ව්‍යාපාරික ව්‍යවසායකයා). ඡායාරූපය - සුලෝචනා ගමගේ

Lassana Agri විසින් අධි තාක්‍ෂණික කෘෂිකාර්මික කටයුතු යොදා ගනිමින් වසර පහක් ඇතුළත හෙක්ටයාර් 10,000ක භූමි ප්‍රමාණයක් වගා කිරීමට කටයුතු කරන බව Lassana Agri Innovation හි සභාපති ආචාර්ය ලසන්ත මලවිගේ මහතා කොළඹදී මාධ්‍ය වෙත පැවසීය.

නිෂ්පාදන ධාරිතාව පුළුල් කිරීම සඳහා මූල්‍ය ආධාර ලබා ගැනීම සඳහා පුරෝකථන ආදායම් ආකෘති සපයමින් නවීන කෘෂිකර්මාන්තයට යොමු කරමින් ගොවීන් දරිද්‍රතාවයෙන් නඟාසිටුවීම Lassana Agri හි මූලික අරමුණ බව ඔහු පැවසීය. එබැවින්, තාක්‍ෂණය සහ හොඳම කෘෂිකාර්මික භාවිතයන් මාරු කිරීමට ව්‍යාපෘතිය උත්සාහ කරයි, පාරිභෝගිකයින්ට දැරිය හැකි මිලකට උසස් තත්ත්වයේ, ආරක්ෂිත ආහාර නිෂ්පාදනය කිරීමට ගොවීන් බල ගන්වයි.

පෙරළිකාර පියවරක් ලෙස, Lassana Agri Innovations ශ්‍රී ලංකාවේ නවීන කෘෂිකර්මාන්තය ප්‍රතිනිර්මාණය කිරීමට සූදානම් වන අතර, ඉහළ යන මිල ගණන්, අඩු ගුණාත්මක බව, අධික රසායනික භාවිතය සහ දේශගුණික විපර්යාසවලට ඇති අවදානම වැනි ගැටලුවලට විසඳුම් ලබා දෙයි. මෙම පරිවර්තනීය ව්‍යාපෘතිය ගොවීන්ට අති නවීන තාක්‍ෂණය, හරිතාගාර සහ උපාංග සැපයීම සහ සහතික කළ ප්‍රතිලාභ සහතික කිරීම සඳහා ආපසු මිලදී ගැනීමේ ගිවිසුමක් සමඟ සම්බන්ධ වේ.

Agriplast Protected Cultivation Pvt Ltd සමඟ සහයෝගීතාවය ශ්‍රී ලංකාවේ කෘෂිකර්මාන්තය පරිවර්තනය කිරීමට උනන්දුවක් දක්වන දේශීය ගොවීන්ට, ව්‍යවසායකයින්ට සහ ආයෝජකයින්ට අධි තාක්‍ෂණික සහ මධ්‍ය තාක්‍ෂණික හරිතාගාර වඩාත් දැරිය හැකි මිලකට ලබා දෙමින් සැලකිය යුතු සන්ධිස්ථානයකි.

Agriplast Protected Cultivation Pvt Ltd සමඟ ඇති හවුල්කාරිත්වය ඉහළ අස්වැන්නක් සහ සුරක්ෂිත ආහාර නිෂ්පාදනයක් පොරොන්දු වෙමින් උසස් හරිතාගාර විසඳුම් සඳහා දොරටු විවර කරයි. වසර 70කට වැඩි ඒකාබද්ධ පළපුරුද්දක් ඇති Agriplast Protected Cultivation Pvt Ltd, ගොවීන් ලක්ෂ 2.4කට වැඩි පිරිසකට සහය වෙමින් කෘෂිකාර්මික අංශයේ විශාල වෙනසක් සිදු කරයි. වසුන් පටල සහ හරිතාගාර ආවරණ ඇතුළුව ඔවුන්ගේ ඉහළම මට්ටමේ ආරක්ෂිත ගොවි නිෂ්පාදන සඳහා ප්‍රසිද්ධ Agriplast Protected Cultivation Pvt Ltd බෝග අස්වැන්න සැලකිය යුතු ලෙස වැඩි කර ඇති අතර තිරසාර ගොවිතැන් පිළිවෙත් ප්‍රවර්ධනය කර ඇත. ගොවීන් දැනුවත් කිරීම සඳහා ඔවුන්ගේ කැපවීම ලස්සන ඇග්‍රිගේ දැක්ම සමඟ බාධාවකින් තොරව සමපාත වේ.

Lassana Agri Innovations මඟින් ගොවීන්ට නිවැරදි තාක්ෂණික විසඳුම් තෝරාගැනීම, උපදෙස්, මගපෙන්වීම සහ ඉහළ අස්වැන්නක් සඳහා සහාය ලබා දීම සඳහා මග පෙන්වයි. සමාගම දිවුලපිටියේ හෙක්ටයාර් 7ක හරිතාගාර පහසුකම් මධ්‍යස්ථානයේදී අධි තාක්‍ෂණික ගොවිතැන සඳහා දිවයිනේ ප්‍රථම ඉන්කියුබේෂන් සහ දැනුම බෙදාගැනීමේ මධ්‍යස්ථානයක් දියත් කිරීමට සැලසුම් කරයි.

Lassana Agri Innovations හි ප්‍රධාන විධායක නිලධාරී ප්‍රසාද් සේනාධීර මහතා පවසන පරිදි, මෙම මධ්‍යස්ථානය නවකයින් සහ ගොවි ව්‍යවසායකයින් සවිබල ගන්වන අතර ඉදිරි දශකය තුළ සෑම වසර දෙකකට වරක් හරිතාගාර වගා ප්‍රමාණය දෙගුණ කරයි.

Tuition Sir film shooting began in Panadura
"ටියුෂන් සර්" චිත්රපටයේ රූගත කිරීම් පානදුරේදී ආරම්භ කෙරේ

Lankapuvath | Colombo | 31-01-2024 |

“Just like any good romance, it all starts with a meet-cute. The people and circumstances differ every time, but the core lessons and narratives are grounded in truth. When two humans fall in love, and when darkness threatens to attack one of them, the other must fight to stay together”. By Claude Gnasekera

Veteran film director Eranga Senaratne with the financial assistance of a Canada based Sri Lankan entrepreneur Ravi Nanayakkara, Chairman / Managing Director of SPN Trading (Pvt) Ltd., (Film Producer), just ceremonially inaugurated the film shooting of “Tuition Sir” a real life story of a present day student. Significance of this inauguration is celebrating 25 years to the film industry, of Eranga Senaratne. CONGRATULATIONS!

A contemporary curious romantic tale; centered of a beautiful school girl stranded in between a relationship with her coeval boyfriend and a compassionate young tuition master.
For millennia, love stories have captivated human hearts, offering a look into the unfathomable depths of human emotion and connection. This romantic story, stand out as a classic depiction of a perfect love story that touches our hearts and reminds us the transformational power of love.
In this film, we will go on a journey through the ingredients that make up a great love story, looking at how it transcends time, obstacles, and flaws to form an enduring bond.

The story is based on a contentious connection between three people and the bond goes beyond the surface but one’s infirmity in reading one another. The new tie-in that relationship creates the blunder ………….! It’s a film where flaws are celebrated, producing a deep sense of emotional connections.

Eranga Senarathna has planned to complete film shooting by first week of February and to be screened by August 2024. Ravi Nanayakkara the Producer said “My decision to invest on this film is not only on a profit objective but to support the local cinema industry.
Eranga Senarathne is a Sri Lankan film director, screenwriter, and producer. He has been credited with directing over ten films, including Surahayana Gini Gani, Gini Gath Madhusamaya, Rosa Patikki, Sinasuna Adaren, Sweet Angel, None Mage Sudu None, Mona Lisa and Ae.

"ටියුෂන් සර්" චිත්රපටයේ රූගත කිරීම් පානදුරේදී ආරම්භ කෙරේ

“ඕනෑම හොඳ ප්රේම සම්බන්ධයක් මෙන්, ඒ සියල්ල ආරම්භ වන්නේ හමුවීම් හුරුබුහුටි කතාවකිනි. මිනිසුන් සහ තත්වයන් සෑම අවස්ථාවකදීම වෙනස් වේ, නමුත් මූලික පාඩම් සහ ආඛ්යාන සත්යයේ පදනම වේ. මිනිසුන් දෙදෙනෙකු ආදරයෙන් බැඳෙන විට සහ අන්ධකාරය ඔවුන්ගෙන් කෙනෙකුට පහර දීමට තර්ජනය කරන විට, අනෙකා එකට සිටීමට සටන් කළ යුතුය.
ප්රවීණ චිත්රපට අධ්යක්ෂ එරංග සේනාරත්න මහතා කැනඩාවේ වෙසෙන ශ්රී ලාංකික ව්යවසායකයෙකු වන SPN Trading (Pvt) Ltd. හි සභාපති / කළමනාකාර අධ්යක්ෂ රවී නානායක්කාර මහතාගේ නිෂ්පාදනය ඇතිව “ටියුෂන් සර්” චිත්රපටයේ රූගත කිරීම් උත්සවාකාරයෙන් ආරම්භ කළේය. එය වර්තමාන සිසුවියකගේ ජීවිත කතාවකි. මෙම සමාරම්භක උත්සවයේ වැදගත්කම වන්නේ එරංග සේනාරත්නගේ සිනමා කර්මාන්තයට වසර 25 ක් සපිරීමයි. සුභ පැතුම්
ඇගේ සමකාලීන පෙම්වතා සහ දයානුකම්පිත තරුණ ටියුෂන් මාස්ටර් සමඟ ඇති සම්බන්ධය අතර අතරමං වූ සුන්දර පාසල් දැරියක් කේන්ද්ර කර ගනිමින් නිර්මාණය කළ ආකර්ෂණය, කුතුහලය දනවන ආදර කතාවක්..
සහස්ර ගණනාවක් පුරා, ප්රේම කතා මිනිස් හදවත් ආකර්ෂණය කර ඇති අතර, මිනිස් හැඟීම්වල සහ සම්බන්ධතාවයේ නොතේරෙන ගැඹුර දෙස බැලීමට ඉදිරිපත් කරයි. මෙම ආදර කතාව, අපගේ හදවත් ස්පර්ශ කරන සහ ආදරයේ පරිවර්තනීය බලය අපට මතක් කර දෙන පරිපූර්ණ ආදර කතාවක සම්භාව්ය නිරූපණයක් ලෙස කැපී පෙනේ.
මෙම චිත්රපටය තුළ, බාධක සහ අඩුපාඩු ඉක්මවා නොනැසී පවතින බැඳීමක් ඇති කරන විශිෂ්ට ආදර කතාවක් ගොඩනඟයි.
කතාව පදනම් වී ඇත්තේ පුද්ගලයන් තිදෙනෙකු අතර හටගත් මතභේදාත්මක සම්බන්ධතාවයක් මත ය. එම සබඳතාවයේ නව බැඳීම ප්රේක්ෂකයන් තුළ ව්යාකූලත්වයක් ඇති කරයි...! එය චිත්තවේගීය සම්බන්ධතා පිළිබඳ ගැඹුරු හැඟීමක් ඇති කරමින් අඩුපාඩු සමරනු ලබන චිත්රපටයකි..
චිත්රපටයේ රූගත කිරීම් පෙබරවාරි මස මුල් සතිය වන විට අවසන් කර 2024 අගෝස්තු මාසය වන විට තිරගත කිරීමට සැලසුම් කර ඇති බව එරංග සේනාරත්න. සඳහන් කළේය. නිෂ්පාදක රවී නානායක්කාර පැවසුවේ “මෙම චිත්රපටය සඳහා ආයෝජනය කිරීමට මා තීරණය කළේ ලාභ අපේක්ෂාවෙන් පමණක් නොව දේශීය සිනමා කර්මාන්තයට සහය දැක්වීමට ‘බවයි.
එරංග සේනාරත්න යනු ශ්රී ලාංකේය චිත්රපට අධ්යක්ෂ, තිර රචක සහ නිෂ්පාදකවරයෙකි. සුරයහන ගිනි ගනී, ගිනිගත් මධුසමය, රෝස පැටික්කි, සිනාසුන ආදරෙන්, ස්වීට් ඒන්ජල්, නෝනේ මගේ සුදු නෝන්, මොනාලිසා සහ ඒ ඇතුළු චිත්රපට දහයකට අධික සංඛ්යාවක් අධ්යක්ෂණය කිරීමේ ගෞරවය ඔහුට හිමිව තිබේ.

Aspiring to Empower Communities: Achini's Inspiring Journey to Tackle Plastic Waste in Sri Lanka

Lankapuvath | Colombo | 11-12-2023 |

Sri Lanka currently imports over 500,000 metric tons of virgin plastic annually, while only 33% of the daily 10,786 metric tons of plastic waste is collected as per industry reports. About 3% of this collected waste is recycled nationwide. In the midst of this waste management challenge, Achini (42 years) from Ganemulla emerges as an unsung hero, embodying the transformative power of determination and knowledge.

Achini dedicated herself to collecting a post-consumer PET bottles and it is remarkable how her appreciation for PET bottles and their untapped potential blossomed in just under a year. Her affinity for recycling plastic, born out of a longstanding love for helping the environment, has now evolved into a powerful mission.

The ASPIRE Project: A Beacon of Hope
In response to the urgent issue of waste mismanagement, the ‘Accelerating and Strengthening the Plastic Informal Recycling Eco-system (ASPIRE) in Sri Lanka’ Project, funded by The Coca-Cola Foundation and implemented by World Vision Lanka, seeks to fortify plastic collection, enhance plastic waste recycling, and promote responsible PET plastic disposal. Achini's transformational journey begins here.

Initially, she viewed the project with skepticism. However, her first encounter with ASPIRE shattered these preconceived notions, revealing a world far beyond her expectations. The project opened her eyes to the realm of plastic waste: various types, efficient management, and the possibilities it held for creating stable livelihoods.

The awareness and training provided by ASPIRE have fundamentally changed Achini's perspective. What she once considered disposable PET bottles, like most others, she now recognizes as valuable resources. Her monthly collection has grown from 40 kg to 125 kg in just five months, expanding well beyond her immediate neighborhood.

Beyond Collection: An Advocate for Change
Achini is not just a waste collector; she is a catalyst for change. She has become the primary collector for two local schools and the town of Ganemulla. But her role extends beyond waste collection; she's a dedicated advocate for knowledge-sharing. Whether with teachers, students, shop owners, or households, Achini imparts the wisdom she has gained through ASPIRE. Even while waiting to pick up her own children from their tuition classes on Saturdays, she seizes the opportunity to educate parents on essential waste management tips.

She is just one of the local community members who have partnered with ASPIRE. They receive formal training as 'Recycle Industry Assistants' at National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) level 4, equipping them with the technical skills required to manage waste effectively. In addition, they gain expertise in waste segregation, and responsible PET plastic disposal, and are provided with the necessary tools and equipment to build their livelihoods.

The Tale of Transformation and Empowerment: A Holistic Impact
ASPIRE's impact extends beyond waste collection. The project collaborates with the families of its participants through World Vision's 'Journey of Transformation' model. It fosters collective development, promoting respect and understanding within families and raising awareness of gender roles. Achini, her husband, and children now work together as a family, inspired by their collective vision. Her husband, who can no longer work regularly due to health issues, has become her greatest support. Their family's shared efforts have led to the creation of value-added products, with a new tile awaiting certification as their latest achievement.

Achini's life no longer mirrors the insignificance she once felt. Today, not only has her income improved, but so has her overall well-being. Her increased income allows her to take care of her husband's medical expenses, demonstrating the profound impact of ASPIRE on her life. She has gone further by building a network of 20 more resource collectors, providing employment to two vulnerable individuals, including with psychosocial challenges. She actively engages with 26 Community Development Societies each month, and is recognized as an environmental champion.

Reshaping Narratives, One PET Bottle at a Time
Achini's story is not just about waste collection; it's a tale of personal transformation, community empowerment, and environmental stewardship. Thanks to ASPIRE’s dedication, The Coca-Cola Foundation (TCCF), and World Vision Lanka, waste collectors like Achini are rewriting their narrative, one PET bottle at a time.

Coca-Cola in Sri Lanka has set up over 555 PET Collection Points across 19 districts, along with Material Recovery Facilities and resource banks, resulting in the collection of approximately 800 metric tons of plastic waste each year. Remarkably, the ASPIRE Project has seen PET collection rates rise from 5.95 metric tons in January to an impressive 89.44 metric tons in September.
Niluksha Myelvaganam

Lankapuvath | Colombo | 29-11-2023 |
VIEWR COMMENT - Amal de Mel | Jerom is a crook in my opinion 😉 wanted by the CID for Rs 12 billion in his bank 🏦 accounts ? ( 💰 laundering just like his so called father in Zimbabwe? Unfortunately many gullible individuals fall in to his trap , the bible very clearly says beware of false prophets ( and in my opinion he is one of them ) I am only asking my fellow christians not to be hoodwinked by his false teaching. He is not recognised by the Catholic and the church of England and any other recognised churches in the world. - Newslanka Bulletin | Face Book