Kelani Shakthi turns Jaffna youth into skilled electricians

The first batch of passed out students of  Kelani Shakthi has established themselves as professional electricians in the North. 

The success stories of them relate to the value of the joint CSR of the University of Jaffna and Kelani Cables PLC.

In a bid to groom the youth in the Jaffna peninsula as electrical technicians, Kelani Cables PLC launched the ‘Kelani Shakthi’ professional development programme in 2015 and the MoU of  Kelani Shakthi was signed in 2014 between Jaffna University Vice Chancellor/senior professor Vasanthi Arsaratnam and Kelani Cables PLC Director/CEO Mahinda Saranapala.

The programme was initiated to confer electrical technical skills in school leavers and self employed persons in Jaffna and was inaugurated at the Jaffna University engineering faculty in Kilinochchi by Jaffna University Vice Chancellor/senior professor Vasanthi Arsaratnam, Kelani Cables PLC Director/CEO Mahinda Saranapala, Jaffna University Engineering Faculty Dean Dr. A. Athpothurajah and Kelani Shakthi Course Director T. Thiruvaran.

The progress of  the first batch of passed out students of Kelani Shakthi came to light at a recent visit by co-initiator and coordinator of the Kelani Shakthi skills development programme, Jayantha Wijesinghe, on behest of Kelani Cables PLC Director/CEO Mahinda Saranapala. Here, Wijesinghe visited the Faculty of Engineering, University of Jaffna to collect first hand information of the Kelani Shakthi students who successfully completed the final examination in 2016. The meeting was arranged by Engineering Faculty Dean Dr. A. Authpothraja, Kelani Shakthi Course Director Dr. T. Thiruvaran and Kelani Cables PLC Brand Development Manager Channa Jayasinghe.

Beneficiaries of Kelani Shakthi programme expressed their satisfaction at the meeting with the co-initiator and coordinator of the Kelani Shakthi who visited them. A driver by profession, S. Jeganathan, aged 40 years a father of two from kilinochchi said, “I followed the Kelani Shakthi programme in 2015 and got through the exam in 2016 and obtained the certificate from the Vice Chancellor. Still I’m continuing my job as a driver, but after working hours and holidays I’m doing industrial and domestic wiring in the Kilinochchi area. There is a big demand for professional electricians in Jaffna and we have a wonderful opportunity to earn extra money. Therefore I’m very much grateful to the Kelani Shakthi programme which paved the way for a comfort life to live with my family.” 

T. Jayakanthan, 30 years, living in Ponnagar, Jaffna father of two said, “Before I joined Kelani Shakthi programme I was employed at the University of Jaffna ,as a temporary worker in the Administration Department. In 2016 I got through the final examination at the Kelani Shakthi programme and obtained the certificate from the Vice Chancellor of the University of Jaffna. 

It was a great day in my life. I’m very much thankful to the Kelani Cables and the faculty of engineering for giving me this great opportunity to become a professional electrician in Jaffna. Now I’m so happy to say that I got the permanent job as an electrician in the Electrical and Electronic Engineering Department, University of Jaffna. I’m very grateful to our lecturer Pradeepan and Dr. Thiru, our Course Director.”

Kelani Saviya CSR programme in association with the engineering faculty of the Peradeniya University has been progressing since 2007. Kelani Shakthi programme conducted by Jaffna University is an extension of the unique CSR Kelani Saviya.