Dedicated to preserving Sri Lankan heritage, Sri Lanka’s Truly Sri Lankan Bank, Pan Asia Bank recently implemented its ‘100 Trees for 100 years’ project to assist the Ratmale Tissa Maha Vidyalaya – Srawasthipura in Anuradhapura district, to commemorate its centenary. The 100-year-old Tissa Maha Vidyalaya enlightens thousands of students across many generations of Sri Lankan youth. In appreciation of this noble mission, Pan Asia Bank came forward to assist the school with a complete Library and also planted 100 trees within the school premises and its environs to mark the historic occasion. Present on the landmark occasion were Mrs Mahesha Manjarika Hettiarachchi -Zonal Education Director, school officials, Principal Mr P R M L R B Rathnayake; Vice-Principals Mrs Sunethra Dissanayake and Mr P B S Bandara; Also in attendance were Pan Asia Bank officials, Assistant General Manager Mr Shiyan Perera; Regional Manager – North Central and North Western Province Mr Prasanna Bandara and Head of Marketing, Mr Sirimevan Senevirathne.

This project included the complete renovation of the 100-year-old library building and through the generosity of Pan Asia Bank staff, collecting the required books to make the newly refurbished Library a well-equipped one. Teachers, parents and students of the school also participated enthusiastically in this project along with some of Pan Asia Bank’s valued customers.

Commenting on the occasion, Principal P R M L R B Rathnayake said, “Despite the difficulties prevailing in the country, we were able to join hands with Pan Asia Bank and make the dreams of our children come true. Pan Asia Bank gave us the confidence to believe that they would complete this task of renovating the school library building to enhance the facilities for the children to read and learn. We never thought it will be such a successful programme, but with the help and the continuous genuine support of the staff of Pan Asia Bank, we were able to make this a reality. We appreciate that the Bank dedicated funds to help the future of our children at a time of an economic crisis.”

Along with installing a new Library, Pan Asia Bank took the leadership to plant 100 tree saplings within the school premises and surroundings to enhance nature. In a few year, these 100 trees will provide shade and augment nature to sustain Tissa Maha Vidyalaya for another 100 years.

Naleen Edirisinghe, the CEODesignate of Pan Asia Bank added further, “This project fulfilled Pan Asia Bank’s brand promise of being ‘Truly Sri Lankan’ by identifying and delivering a true requirement of an underserved school in Sri Lanka which has been in existence for 100 years. We believe this initiative will inculcate eco-friendly consciousness amongst students and raise awareness on the benefits of preserving the environment. This project is also aligned with the Bank’s pioneering green banking status and objective of being a sustainable bank in Sri Lanka.”

The Truly Sri Lankan Bank, Pan Asia Bank keeps sustainability and social responsibility at its core. With its vision to be a socially relevant cause-led brand, many such initiatives are rolled out to uplift living standards of the communities in which it operates and for the preservation of nature.