Citi Joins ‘Manudam Mehewara’ an Emergency Relief Initiative by Dialog, MAS, Hemas & CBL

Photographed left to right - Shanaka Waduge, Head Corporate Affairs, Citi, Ravin Basnayake, Managing Director / Citi Country Officer Sri Lanka, Supun Weerasinghe, Group Chief Executive, Dialog Axiata PLC, Hong Zhou Wong, Group Chief Financial Officer, Dialog Axiata PLC, Mohammed Niswi, Director, Project Management Unit, Sarvodaya Shramadana Movement.

Citi recently joined forces with the ‘Manudam Mehewara’ programme initiated by Dialog Axiata PLC, MAS Holdings, Hemas Holdings PLC, CBL Group, Sarvodaya Shramadana Movement, and PwC Sri Lanka, in a mission to provide emergency relief to the most vulnerable communities across the country impacted by the ongoing economic crisis.

Joining hands with like-minded partners including its execution partner Sarvodaya and accountability partner PwC Sri Lanka, the ‘Manudam Mehewara’ initiative funded by Dialog, MAS, Hemas, CBL, and Citi aims to provide emergency relief to more than 200,000 vulnerable families across the country. Emergency relief is currently being distributed across all 25 districts, where over 10,000 families in need have been assisted to date. The Manudam Mehewara programme will conduct its relief efforts for 60 – 90 days until a sustainable benefit transfer system is established in the country through an effective economic recovery plan.

Commenting, Ravin Basnayake, Managing Director/Citi Country Officer-Sri Lanka said, “The impact of the current unprecedented financial crisis is felt acutely across the country and the struggles are more than ever. With rising food prices, food assistance for the adversely affected has never been more vital. This is why Citi decided to join forces with the humanitarian effort ‘Manudam Meherawa’. We recognise our responsibility and believe that it is time for like-minded corporates to work together in collaboration to ease the burden on our people. I also would like to thank our corporate partners and Sarvodaya for initiating this project and letting us be a part of this much-needed and timely initiative”.

Expressing his views on the new partnership, Hong Zhou Wong, Group Chief Financial Officer of Dialog Axiata PLC stated “On behalf of all the partners, I would like to thank Citi for joining us in this humanitarian effort. To date, we have distributed emergency relief to over 10,000 vulnerable families impacted by the current crisis. We aim to do more and reach 200,000. We call upon more like-minded corporate partners to join us in taking this cause forward. We need to work together to help alleviate strain on our people and as the widest network in Sri Lanka with a subscriber base of over 17 million, we see ourselves responsible for supporting the families across Sri Lanka in this hour of need.”

Manudam Mehewara invites all Corporates to join this effort and help expand the Emergency Relief distribution operations.