* Over 5,000 people in Pihimbiyagollewa, Kiriketuwewa & Balayawewa to benefit

Three Reverse Osmosis (RO) plants sponsored by Hayleys Group of companies, Hayleys Industrial Solutions Ltd., Kelani Valley Plantations PLC & Talawakelle Tea Estates PLC and Hayleys Advantis Ltd. were launched on 10^th March 2015 in Pihimbiyagollewa, Kiriketuwewa & Balayawewa in the North Central Province. This project under the banner “Puritas Sath Diyawara” is the key Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative undertaken by the Hayleys Group at a cost of Rs. 21 million covering a total of six villages in the financial year 2014/2015.

Studies indicate that an approximate 400,000 people are currently affected by Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD), of which men between the ages of 15 – 60 years are the most vulnerable. Studies show that providing purified water is found to be the key solution not only to eliminate CKD but to reverse the effects of those affected by it.

Commenting on the projectfunded by several sectors of the Hayleys Group and implemented by Puritas, the Chief Guest, Mr. Mohan Pandithage - Chairman & Chief Executive of Hayleys Group stated “Hayleys was among the first global corporate entities and the only Sri Lankan company to endorse the CEO Water Mandate of the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC), a call to action and a strategic framework to make sustainable water resources management a priority for businesses world-wide. Therefore in 2014, we decided all community empowerment initiatives of the Group should be under varying themes related to water. ‘Puritas Sath Diyawara’ is the key step towards achieving this target.”

The ‘Puritas Sath Diyawara’ community empowerment initiative will reach out to the people of the North Central Province who are overshadowed by CKD, via livelihood development activities, health camps, knowledge dissemination activities and education. This programme will see the establishment of a library and internet facility for villagers of all ages as well. In addition, activities will be carried out to improve health and sanitation of the villagers. Sustainable environmental management programmes will be encouraged by promoting best practices in agriculture, integrated farming and organic agriculture by establishing a model farm to demonstrate organic farming.

Under this programme, centralised water treatment plants will provide approximately 10,000 litres of purified water per day per village. Each project consists of formalized water distribution network through a bowser and multiple docking stations throughout the village to ensure all villagers have equal access to purifiedwater. Surveys will be conducted on a regular basis to monitor the benefits of this initiative. The RO plant previously commissioned in Maithreepura last year has helped approximately 1,500 villagers.

The opening of the three new plantswas graced by Directors/ Group Management Committee Members / Senior Management of the Hayleys Group and key government officials.

Photo captions: (Above) Chairman & Chief Executive, Mr. Mohan Pandithage and Deputy Managing Director of Hayleys Industrial Solutions (Pvt.) Ltd, Mr. Deepthi Hewageegana commissioning the RO plant at Pihimbiyagollewa and (below) an elderly villager from Kiriketuwewa enjoying the purified water provided by the ‘Puritas Sath Diyawara’ initiative.

Chairman & Chief Executive, Mr. Mohan Pandithage and Managing Director, Hayleys Advantis Ltd, Mr. Ruwan Waidyaratne collecting the first drops of purified water from the Reverse Osmosis plant in Balayawewa.

Chairman & Chief Executive, Mr. Mohan Pandithage and Managing Director of Kelani Valley Plantations PLC and Thalawakelle Tea Estates PLC, Mr. Roshan Rajadurai commissioning the RO plant at Kiriketuwewa