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CHAPTER 20

The top management on Piyawara

It is a look back and then forward for the top management of the Hemas Group who not only dug deep into their
pockets but walked every step of the way with Piyawara. This is very much in keeping with the humanity that is
in the very genes of the Hemas Group.

Husein Esufally Whilst enlarging the scale of the project, I feel we must also widen the scope so that
Chairman, Hemas Holdings PLC we remain relevant to these children throughout their school years and find a way to
influence their thinking so they become good citizens in the future. The programme
Twenty years ago we decided that rather than would not have been possible without the passion and dedication of Ms. Shiromi
contributing to various causes we would focus efforts Masakorala who has played a part from its inception.
on Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) and
invest in the nation’s ‘most’ treasured asset – ‘our children’.
Abbas Esufally
I can say the Piyawara project has surpassed all our Group Director of Hemas Holdings PLC & Chairman of the
expectations. My sincere thanks to all who have Hemas Outreach Foundation
participated along the way. We have influenced the lives of over 100,000 children right
across the length and breadth of this country. The beginnings of ongoing Piyawara are history. At
that time, 20 years ago, the Hemas Group which is into
The project has won recognition from numerous international and national sustainable corporate social responsibility (CSR) projects,
organizations. After the initial investment from Hemas, we have had many foreign without just doling out money for ad hoc programmes,
donors who have been part of this journey. was on the lookout for something long-lasting.

Piyawara could not have achieved this level of success without a partnership with the We wanted to be involved in an initiative that would have a short, medium and long-
government. My sincere appreciation goes out to the many teachers without whose term impact, a national project spreading its benefits across the country – so that all
dedication this would not have been possible. I must also make special mention of our energy and synergy could be focused on it.
the army too which partnered with us to build schools, especially in the aftermath of
the war.

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