Dialog Telekom and Varam Sri Lanka joined hands recently in a youth self-employment initiative at Varam Welfare Centres in Hikkaduwa, Dadella and Galle. The Welfare Centres have been providing job skills training for young people and will now include a paper recycling operation which was funded by the Dialog Telekom Change Trust, the telecom charity said.

This recycling and hand-made paper operation will be part of a greeting card making programme, which has been in existence for about a year. Through the new additions the programme will now include training in making the recycled paper used for greeting cards and training in screen-printing which will also be used in the card making process.

In providing for this extension of the card making program, the Dialog Change Trust funded a new building while also providing for the paper making equipment and furniture, the company said.
Commenting on Varam Sri Lanka’s efforts, Professor Harendra De Silva, Founder of Varam Sri Lanka said “Through Varam Sri Lanka we are focused on empowering a segment of society that till now went unseen and unheard.

Through the Welfare Centres we are not only giving alternative livelihood option to many young people we also strive to build their soft skills through enhancing their creative talents. Having the support of a corporate citizen such as Dialog Telekom not only empowers us in terms of funding but also gives recognition to an impending socio-economic issue while providing solutions.”