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A combined ecosystem restoration and livelihood improvement project – Greening Batticaloa – was designed and initiated by Dilmah Conservation in 2010. It had the objective of partnering with local communities to restore some of the flora that was lost during the preceding conflict in the East of Sri Lanka while eventually improving livelihoods. Nurseries were established and one million cashew plants prepared and distributed to families in the East with the promise that as they care for the plants, the plants would eventually care for them by providing income.

Cashew is a valuable cash crop with a shady canopy resilient to the very dry climate in the area. Dilmah Conservation worked with scientists to identify cashew as ideal to ease economic hardships and environmental devastation that following the Tsunami and Civil unrest in the East. So, began a 10-year mission to establish one million cashew trees through the Greening Batticaloa Programme in Kalkudah. Fulfilling the promise that Dilmah Founder Merrill J. Fernando made to the first recipients of the cashew plants in 2010, on his 92nd birthday – 06th May 2022 – Dilmah reached a milestone in this initiative with the opening of a cashew processing centre by the Merrill J Fernando Charitable Foundation in its eastern MJF Centre for Dignified Empowerment.

Today, acres of small farmer-owned and fully-grown cashew trees have sprung up in the locations where the saplings were planted producing over 50MT of cashew, a sizeable harvest of the valuable crop. Beneficiaries will have their own facility for cashew processing to hull, roast and add value to their produce and benefit from higher income. The MJF Foundation Cashew processing centre brings added benefits to the community including better quality control with new and high quality equipment and facilities, better market access facilitated by Dilmah and its affiliated companies, better employment opportunities, and greater return for their effort.

The newly opened cashew processing centre will carry out the cutting, peeling, drying and packing processes to deliver a market-ready product. MJFCF East, is one of several MJF Centres established by Dilmah in fulfillment of its commitment to serve humanity through its business. The MJF Foundation has an overriding objective of empowering marginalized communities with dignity and will employ ten women from its Women’s Development Programme for the task.

Mark Patterson, Centre Manager, MJF Charitable Foundation – Centre East said, “In a time when economic challenges are faced by communities in Valachchenai and around our Centre we are glad to have come up with this strategy to support their efforts for generating additional income through cashew processing”.

The 10 women have been trained in the necessary skills and on-the-job training by Forbes and Walker (F&W) Pvt Ltd. Previously, MJF Centre East facilitated the sale of raw cashew directly from farmers to Forbes and Walker Pvt Ltd who will now purchase the processed cashew at a premium. Buying cashew directly from the farmers and processing in the Eastern province will significantly to the earnings of the smallholder beneficiaries of the project. They retain the option of selling their produce through other channels if they wish.

Shardha Sosa, Finance Director, Forbes & Walker (Pvt) Ltd said, “Processing at source ensures backward integration of the value chain leaving only the marketing and distribution to be done by us. This has natural efficiencies and importantly significant benefits for the smallholders involved. They benefit from a fairer share of their effort. Carbon footprint is also reduced from the absence of having to transport unshelled cashew to be processed in Western Province. Thanks to the climate in Batticaloa, sun-drying cashew, will further eliminate machine costs and carbon footprint.”

Since 2018, the Dilmah Conservation Greening Batticaloa project’s cashew harvest has seen an upward trajectory doubling to over 50 metric tonnes from 2019 to 2020. Although challenges from the pandemic caused a dip in the trend in 2021, the numbers are expected to be promising in the upcoming harvest this year.

Seeing a growing demand both locally and internationally for dehydrated food, the MJF Centre East also plans to expand into dehydration of cashew, fruits and vegetables. Dilmah Tea founded the MJF Charitable Foundation and Dilmah Conservation to fulfill his wish to serve humanity through kindness to people and nature. The work of both organizations is funded by profits from the sale of Dilmah Tea and they deliver social, economic, cultural and environmental impact amongst diverse communities including the tea plantations.

Kanrich Finance Ratnapura branch relocates to new premises

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Keeping up with the trends of customer behaviour in financial payments, Seylan Bank partnered with popular online payment app Koko, to enable its cardholders many benefits in a range of online and in-store shopping outlets. Both Seylan Debit and Credit card holders receive discounts, 3-month easy payment plans and 0% interest when using the Seylan Card to pay through Koko.

An exclusive offer will be available until 30th September 2022, for Seylan Debit Card holders when they download the Koko app and begin transactions, with 10% waived off for bills over Rs. 5,000/-, up to a maximum discount of Rs. 1,000/-. The key feature of using KOKO is that it is enabled for both debit and credit cards, and the total can be divided into 3 instalments with no interest fee. The wide variety of merchants registered under Koko, give Seylan customers an added benefit of choosing their favourite outlet from both online and physical stores.

Seylan Cards give customers a simplified solution as they use their cards to pay through Koko when shopping and dining at online or on-site stores of Simplytek, Life Mobile, Fitness Island, Spa Ceylon and Catch Me, as well as at leading restaurants and cafes such as Barista, Arthurs Pizza, Cafe Kumbuk, Acropol, English Cake factory and many more.

Bringing Sri Lankans, the opportunity to experience the next generation technology and devices, SLT-MOBITEL, the National ICT solutions provider is offering Samsung’s latest foldable flagship Galaxy Z Fold 4 5G and Galaxy Z Flip, 4 5G devices coupled with exciting value additions. For every purchase of Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold or Z Flip, both existing and new customers will receive 300 GB free anytime data across three months, along with a free six-month 100GB OneDrive offer, so that device owners can enjoy their favourite entertainment, conduct work, and stream as much as they want. Additionally, customers will also receive a three-month free subscription to Spotify Premium to enjoy their hearts’ content from over 70 million songs. The offer is valid until the 9th of September 31st October 2022. Further, customers can redeem the data offer at any of the Samsung authorised partner outlets.

Galaxy Z Flip4 5G and Galaxy Z Fold4 5G which represent the next generation of mobile technology, will be available for purchase at selected SLT-MOBITEL outlets. Customers can either call 1717 or visit www.sltmobite.lk to obtain more information. In terms of pricing, the Galaxy Z Flip 4 and Galaxy Z Fold 4 devices are priced at Rs. 449,999/- and Rs. 699,999/- respectively.

Both Galaxy Z Flip4 and Galaxy Z Fold4 devices feature customizable form factors, tailored experiences, and upgraded performance. Now in its fourth generation, the Galaxy Z series continues to break from convention to deliver new, impactful interactions that enhance everyday life.

Thakshila College, one of Gampaha district’s oldest schools, was widely discussed during the 2021 ordinary level examinations as a picture of students sitting for the exam in a damaged building during heavy rains was circulated. The public, including mainstream media institutions, brought the school’s plight to light, and that is when the

heart-warming story was picked up by Rhino Roofing Products Limited, who recognised the needs of the children at the school and decided to make a difference in these growing lives despite the country’s situation.

The school, which opened on June 12, 1992, with sixty students has grown to 2250 students studying in both Sinhala and English mediums. However, the school has recently faced menacing issues that have impacted students during one of their most important life turning points, the Ordinary Level Examinations. Under the leadership of the Managing Director, Rhino stepped forward to renovate the building in order to provide a safe learning environment for the students.

E. J. Gnanam, Managing Director of Rhino Roofing Products Limited, commenting at the inauguration ceremony said: “I am convinced that the country’s children and youth are at the forefront of change, and that we, as responsible corporates and adults in society, must help them grow into good leaders. A school is a foundation in every child’s life, and we wanted to give the children at Thakshila College, Gampaha the same opportunity because education is an equal opportunity. We wish Thakshila College’s talented students the best of luck in their future endeavours”.

Rhino Roofing Products Limited has been at the forefront of making an impact as a responsible corporate citizen for the past 60 years, and this time the organisation is taking a step toward changing the lives of our most valuable asset, children. Despite the construction industry’s degrowth and economic constraints, the organisation stepped forward as a responsible corporate to empower the country’s future.

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