CDB’s ‘Sisudiri Season 03’ kicks off with Rs 1.2 Mn worth scholarships for needy students
January 12, 2011 11:09 pm
Citizens Development Business Finance Ltd. (CDB) recently awarded scholarships to the third batch of children of three-wheeler owners who obtained the highest results at the Grade 05 scholarship exam and the GCE O/L examination.
A total of 18 boys and 16 girls from different socio income groups gathered at the BMICH with their parents to receive these scholarships worth Rs. 1.2 million as part of “CDB Sisudiri – Season 03”, Sri Lanka’s first ever such scholarship programme.
Chief Guest on the occasion was Dr. Attanayake M. Herath, Professor of Sinhala at the University of Peradeniya and a well-known guest on the “Doramadalawa” programme. Also present on the occasion were the CDB’s Board of Directors, CEO Mahesh Nanayakkara, the Senior Management and parents of the students.
Grade 5 winners will receive cash on an annual basis until they complete their O/L exams. The O/L winners will also receive cash on an annual basis until they complete their A/L exams thus being more beneficial for a longer period of time. From this year onwards CDB had decided to double its scholarship fee for all scholarship holders since inception.
The first CDB ‘Sisudiri’ programme was launched in 2008 and has become a national event which assists needy children with their education. The CDB has since then awarded more than 90 scholarships to students from various parts of the country.
Chief Executive Officer of the Citizens Development Mahesh Nanayakkara said this programme would encourage education and fulfill the aspirations of these children. It will help them to gather knowledge and thereby be competent in their chosen fields of study.
“We’re happy to continue this programme for the benefit of the children of three-wheeler owners. They render a great service to society at large. Just as we all do, they too have dreams of educating their children and seeing them doing better in life. We’re happy to join hands with their parents and help them realise that dream”, he said.
P. Nishal Priyantha, a father of one of the winners Master P. Shehan Sandanuwan of the Deniyaya National School said, “As a parent, I am extremely thankful to the CDB for this scholarship programme for the benefit of our children. Since we undergo a lot of hardships in educating our children, this scholarship is a great blessing”.
Drawing inspiration from Dayananda Gunawardene’s famous stage play “Nari Bena” (a part of the Sinhala Syllabus in the school curriculum) which was also staged at the event, Dr. Attanayake stressed the importance of values. “As you endeavor to pursue academic excellence, you must also maintain and uphold our cultural values – especially respect for elders, parents and benefactors. It is only then that you can achieve real success in your life”.
Addressing the parents, he said, “If you want your child to achieve excellence you must let each child mature on their individual strengths. A child’s strength perceived by parents as being negative might turn out to be positive in his future life. Parents thus need to be mentors and coaches and not merely play the role of traditional parents”.
CDB’s unique business model that blends rural and urban sector in funding and lending further positions CDB as a net lender to the rural economy enabling it to harness tremendous growth potential both in rural and urban sectors. CDB is at present positioned at the 7th place in terms of total assets among 36 regulated financial institutions registered under the Finance Companies Act with the Central Bank of Sri Lanka.
“As a financial institution serving both rural and urban communities, with 34 outlets covering all major cities in the island, the CDB looks forward to enriching peoples’ lives through a range of CSR activities in the future”, Nanayakkara concluded.
Photo caption (Top) Professor of Sinhala at the University of Peradeniya Dr. Attanayake M. Herath hands over a scholarship to one of the children. Also in the picture is Chief Executive Officer of the Citizens Development Mahesh Nanayakkara.
(Bottom) All scholarship holders since 2008 pose for a photograph with (L to R) Sasindra Munasingha (AGM Credit - CDB), Namal Gomes (Director CDB), Dr. T. Senthilverl (Director – CDB), Dr. Attanayake M. Herath (Chief Guest), Mahesh Nanayakkara (Chief Executive Officer - CDB) and Roshan Abeygoonawardena (AGM Operations & HR - CDB)
