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Atlas, the premier learning brand in Sri Lanka that has been a cornerstone in local education for over 60 years, has joined hands with the historic Ridee Viharaya for the 21st consecutive year with the goal of ensuring the education rights of students in Sri Lanka.
Despite the availability of free education in the country, thousands of students drop out from school annually due to financial constraints as it has been increasingly difficult for families to afford school-related expenses such as uniforms, textbooks and transport amidst the ongoing economic crisis.
Atlas is geared towards ensuring its Purpose of making learning fun by eliminating issues related to access to education, quality of education and the mental wellbeing within the learning ecosystem involving children, mothers and educators.
With the overarching goal of ‘No child left behind’, Atlas Sipsavi champions the equitable learning experience for children through three core pillars. Firstly, Atlas provides material support to children, removing barriers to educational access by supplying essential learning tools. Secondly, to ease financial burdens on parents and guardians, Sipsavi extends financial assistance, ensuring economic challenges do not impede a child’s education. Furthermore, Sipsavi actively invests in improving school infrastructure, enhancing classrooms, libraries, and recreational spaces to foster a joyful learning environment.
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Atlas Sipsavi’s Ridee Viharaya partnership stands as a flagship project under its umbrella, providing support to over 3,000 students. On 20th January 2024, Sipsavi donated booklists as it had done for the past 21 consecutive years, thereby ensuring that schoolchildren are equipped with the necessary resources for the upcoming academic year.
Expressing his views about the latest chapter in the partnership, Asitha Samaraweera – Managing Director commented, “We are proud to be able to continue this long-standing partnership with Ridee Viharaya for the 21st year. At Atlas, we strongly believe that education is a fundamental right rather than a privilege and therefore we launched the ‘Atlas Sipsavi’ program with the primary goal of creating an equitable learning environment for every child in Sri Lanka, thereby enabling them to continue their educational journeys. We intend to continue this important initiative that has added a new dimension to our efforts to uplift education in Sri Lanka.”
A historic institution deeply rooted in community service, Ridee Viharaya is also committed to supporting educational endeavours. Through its partnership with Atlas, Ridee Viharaya continues to contribute significantly to Atlas Sipsavi, making a lasting impact on the lives of the next generation of Sri Lanka. Ven. Thibbatuwawe Sri Siddhartha Buddharakkhitha Thero Chief Incumbent of Ancient Lewella Raja Maha Viharaya and Ridee Viharaya Temples stated, “We are happy to see our partnership with Atlas extending to its 21st year. Over the years, we can see what a positive difference it has made in the lives of these children in the pursuit of their educational dreams. Atlas has always stepped forward to support our children and has played a key role in ensuring that these young minds are better equipped to become Sri Lanka’s leaders of tomorrow. We believe that we can build on this partnership for years to come and hope that all at Atlas are given the strength and courage to extend this wonderful initiative to more communities across the country.”
The roots of Atlas Axillia Company Pvt. Ltd. (AAC) goes back to 1959 when it was established as Ceylon Pencil Co. (Pvt) Ltd, a renowned Sri Lankan stationery brand with a rich history spanning over six decades. In 2017, the company rebranded as AAC to accommodate its strategic diversification into various product ranges and a year later, it became a part of one of Sri Lanka’s largest and most sustainable diversified conglomerates – the Hemas Group. Today, AAC is an integral part of Sri Lanka’s learning landscape, beloved by countless students who rely on its learning tools throughout their learning journeys.