14th December 2022, Colombo: The Hemas Outreach Foundation (HOF) together with the National Secretariat of the Early Childhood Care and Development of the Ministry of Women and Child Affairs successfully conducted its annual Teacher Training Program for the 21st consecutive year. The three-day residential training program, conducted in Sinhala and Tamil by renowned trainers was attended by over 100 teachers from Piyawara pre-schools across the island.
The Piyawara story began in 2002, when the Hemas Group launched its flagship initiative of its foundation in partnership with the Children’s Secretariat of the Ministry of Child Development and Women’s Affairs with the aim to enrich the lives of underprivileged children by focusing on key aspects within the framework of Early Childhood and Care Development (ECCD). Piyawara signifies the initial steps taken by a child at the beginning of the journey through life. Its vision was to nurture children with good care and provide a solid foundation for life.
Pre-schools, which are the foundation of education are constructed under the initiative and handed over to the local government authorities which appoint qualified teachers and pay their salaries. While the general maintenance of the schools is handled by the local government authorities, Hemas Outreach Foundation conducts regular teacher training programmes to ensure a consistent quality of education.
Speaking on this milestone, Shiromi Masakorala, Executive Director – Hemas Outreach Foundation / AYATI Trust Sri Lanka said, “For 21 years, the Hemas Outreach Foundation has continued to educate and inspire countless preschool teachers under the Piyawara initiative. With the objective of touching the lives of thousands of children from all parts of Sri Lanka, Piyawara stands today as a project which demonstrates the success of government – private sector partnerships in addressing national issues and going beyond the geographical divide, ultimately leading to a better quality of education for the capable young minds of Sri Lanka.”
The Hemas Outreach Foundation is a charitable trust which focuses on laying a solid foundation for Early Childhood Development by providing world-class preschool education to children in areas under poverty stricken conditions. The Foundation is also committed to improving the lives of children with disabilities by providing highest quality therapeutic intervention and eradicating stigma. So far, it has impacted the lives of over 700,000 children and families of all ethnicities across the country.