“Kelani Savya”, the CSR program of Kelani Cables PLC has been extended for another five years due to strong demand from the corporate sector. It was supposed to end this year.
Kelani Cables has been running “Kelani Savya” in association with Peradeniya University Faculty of Engineering since 2007.
The brainchild of Professor JB Ekanayake of the University of Peradeniya, “Kelani Savya” is one of the first CSR public-private partnership programs in Sri Lanka launched by a local university in association with a private organization.
The program upgrades the skills of self-employed electrical technicians to become professionals and prepares school leavers to become qualified electricians. The program is open to aspiring electricians with no registration criteria. Over the past 15 years, more than 500 students have participated in the one-year “Kelani Savya” training program and most of them are now employed at home and abroad as qualified electricians, said a company spokesperson.
‘Kelani Savya’ was commissioned in 2007 following a Memorandum of Understanding between former University of Peradeniya Vice-Chancellor Professor SBS Abeykoon and former Managing Director of Kelani Cables Hemantha Perera.
According to the terms and conditions stipulated in the MoU, the CSR program was to end in 2012. The program was extended by current Director and CEO Mahinda Saranapala for a further 10 years until 2022.
Saranapala said that although there have been financial difficulties in the current year, they have decided to move forward with the Kelani Saviya CSR program which is one of the longest public- (PPP) in Sri Lanka and he would provide this assurance on behalf of Kelani Cables.
GM Marketing, Kelani Cables, Dr. Anil Munasinghe said, “We express our gratitude to the Faculty of Engineering, University of Peradeniya for conducting this fully-fledged training program. ‘Kelani Savya’ is the only training program in the country that offers internationally recognized university certificates to successful candidates who only have a GCE Ordinary level education.
The Vice Chancellor of Peradeniya University, Prof. MD Lamawansa said that one of the functions of the university is to contribute to the development of society and this program adds value to their attempts to serve the community .
The 11th group of 55 people was also present at the ceremony at the University of Peradeniya. The total cost of the program will be borne by Kelani Cables.
The Director of Electrical and Electronic Engineering Workshop, University of Peradeniya, Dr. Maheshi Dissanayake, Course Director, Program Kelani Saviya, Prabath Binduhewa and Course Coordinator, Jayantha Wijesinghe were also present.
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