HNB Al-najah partners HFHSL to launch ‘Drops of Life’ project
Hatton National Bank’s Islamic Banking arm, HNB Al-najah, entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Habitat for Humanity Sri Lanka (HFHSL) to launch the ‘Drops of Life Project’ for the year of 2018.
Targeting the improvement of water, sanitation and hygiene standards in the Batticaloa district, ‘Drops of Life’ is a project aligned with UN Sustainable Development goals aimed at providing disadvantaged and marginalised communities with access to clean water, sanitation and hygiene facilities, leveraging on the extensive expertise of Habitat for Humanity Sri Lanka.
Commenting on the significance of the new partnership with Habitat for Humanity Sri Lanka, HNB Chief Operating Officer Dilshan Rodrigo said: “HNB is a bank that prides itself on our ability to serve as a partner in progress to Sri Lankans from all walks of life and the agreement with Habitat for Humanity Sri Lanka represents another vital milestone in this journey.”
“In that regard, we are deeply satisfied to have partnered with an organisation of the stature of Habitat for Humanity Sri Lanka. The remarkable work that they have carried out as part of their mission to provide decent and secure homes for Sri Lanka’s often overlooked rural communities is strongly aligned both with our own mission to build a sustainable future for all Sri Lankans, and with United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and we look forward to building on this invaluable relationship moving forward,” he noted.
The project is intended to construct three latrines for a primary school named Ameer Ali Vidyalaya in Kattankudy and donate 50 water tankseach with an individual capacity of 500 litres, for 50 low-income families residing in the Divisional Secretariat of Kattankudy in Batticaloa, for which HNB Al-najah will donate one million Rupees, while the company’s employees will also be volunteering their time and effort towards completion of this vital initiative.
Echoing Rodrigo’s sentiments, Habitat for Humanity Sri Lanka National Director Yu Hwa Li expressed his gratitude to HNB for its enthusiastic response to the Drops of Life Initiative: “At the outset, we wish to thank HNB and its Islamic Banking team for supporting us in this vital project. Habitat for Humanity has been operating in Sri Lanka for the past 23 years, and during this time we have been able to construct affordable housing for communities in the North and East, as well in flood prone regions in the Kalutara district utilising funding from the European Union, and Indian Government, together with generous donations from corporate donors like HNB Al-najah.”
“Our approach is however somewhat unique in that we invite all who are willing to not only contribute their money but also their time towards building housing, water, and sanitation across Sri Lanka’s underserved communities. Today’s agreement to provide water, sanitation and hygiene solutions is a vitally important aspect of these projects and we are confident that today’s agreement with HNB will mark the start of and long a fruitful relationship.”