Sirio, a leading garment manufacturing and exporting company in Badalgama, engaged in a massive corporate social responsibility (CSR) programme. 
The company in a single day visited 28 children’s and elders’ homes in the Western and North Western Provinces to provide the inmates with their requirements and entertainment.

The initiative was taken and the programme was spearheaded by Sirio Ltd CEO Felix Fernando. The company selected 20 children’s homes and eight elders’ homes in the Gampaha, Puttalam and Kurunegala Districts and looked into the requirements of those places prior to launching the programme. Sirio’s employees volunteered to do the surveys and to provide labour.

On requests made by the personnel of selected places, dry ration, sweets, clothing, children’s clothing, bed sheets, stationary, school books, medicine, water filters, reading material, toys, photo-copying machines, steel cupboards, umbrellas, cleaning material, gas cookers, perfume and cash were donated to them by Sirio Ltd.

In addition, heeding to the requests of two elders’ homes the company organised pilgrimages to Thalawila St. Anthony’s Church. Further, employees of Sirio company colour washed premises of these needy people and cleaned their gardens let alone washing their linen. The significance was to see the motivation of the employees of the company to actively associate in this endeavour. 

Thousand two hundred odd employees of Sirio as teams engaged in this noble cause. They spent all-day-long with the inmates of the children’s and elders’ homes and offered them with gifts purchased from their own money. Sirio company provided lunch and tea for all the inmates. 

Sirio Ltd Maintenance Engineer Manju Abeydheera, who lead the Sirio team at the CSR programme, speaking of this just cause said the employees of the company dedicated themselves to find the locations and to launch the programme. “Some of these places were in the vicinities where our employees live. The feedback they have derived when visiting these places is touching. Inmates of these children’s and elders’ homes have told donators often vanish soon after making their donations. 

They have told our employees what they need most is companionship and togetherness. Thus, we kept aside all our other work and spent the whole day with these innocent people. Our employees entertained them with music and singing and they too joined us. It was really enjoyable yet touching. Once we left in the evening we could see their eyes moisten with tears. Thus, we decided to visit them in every weekend as teams to be with them,” said Abeydheera.

Felix Fernando said, “This was the outcome we expected from this CSR programme. In the process we nurtured team-spirit within our employees and their willingness to help the needy people in the society.” Badalgama Sirio Ltd is affiliated to Calzedonia Group in the Verona City in Italy.