Polytex Garments Ltd. bestows a new look to Ahangama Rohana MV.…
View(s):Ahangama Rohana Maha Vidyalaya was fortunate to get the attention of Polytex Garments Ltd of Esquel Group Hong Kong, to renovate their school environment, under the company’s Community Investment programme. 
Ahangama Rohana MV experienced some damage to the school buildings when being used as an IDP camp during the Tsunami Cataclysm in 2004. The school having a long history since 1891 when it was established functioned with low facilities. Most of the students and teachers were depressed as they lost their family members during the Tsunami disaster. Several buildings were severely damaged and the classes conducted with difficulty.
Through the Principal at that time, Mr. Piyasiri, Polytex Garments identified this school and offered a helping hand to reconstruct the buildings to be used as a main hall and aethetic studies as the 1st Phase of the project during 2010 and 2011.
Along with TERM (Tsunami Educational Rehabilitation Monitor), Polytex Garments, did a series of activities to bring the concept of community participatory development for the school to ensure long term sustainability of the project. They renovated the dilapidated buildings and refurbished them.
Numbers of workshops were conducted the teachers, students and for the community participatory team comprised students, teachers, past pupils and well wishers of the community of Rohana School as Polytex team believed real changes take place with change of positive attitudes. Different leadership and team building workshops were conduct by the capable and interested Polytex team members voluntarily for the school children – specially those who are taking leadership positions such as class and school prefects.
Polytex Garments is a joint venture between Esquel Enterprises and Local Sri Lankan partner which employs over 5000 employees in their five factories located in Ja-Ela, Yakkala, Kegalle and Koggala Industrial zone.
Esquel Group is an international company which has its garment manufacturing operations in China, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Mauritius and Sri Lanka. Founded in 1978 by Yuan-Loong Yang, Esquel group produces 82 million shirts each year for leading brands and retailers across the globe.
Esquel, through its Y.L. Yang Education Foundation, is actively involved in projects that encourage education for the underprivileged 
as they believe that education is an effective way to help them rise out of poverty and improve their future livelihoods. Esquel through the Y.L Foundation rebuilt 19 schools in some of China’s most impoverished areas.
With the funding of Esquel Y.L foundation, Polytex Garments executed number of community support projects. They built a labour room for Mahamodara Maternity hospital Galle along with donation of medical and other equipment as a Tsunami relief project, commenced constructing a library building for Amunugoda Kumaradasa Vidyalaya, renovating Deewela School, Kegalle and recently completed the 2nd phase of renovation project at Rohana Maha Vidyalaya, Ahangama.
The official handing over of the pavilion which was constructed under the 2nd phase of the project in Rohana School along with refurbishment of existing two multiple story buildings was held on 26th February, 2013. Upon the invitation of current school principal Mr Gunarathna , the Deputy speaker Hon. Chandima Weerakkody, honored officials of Provincial council Mr. P.C Bandupala, Mr. A.G Piyasiri, Mr. Jayawickrama graced this occasion. Education department officers, , Mr. Lional Ipalawatta- opposition party organizer, Mr. Eardley David, Director of Polytex Garments, Ms. Ranjica Mendis- Chief Financial Controller, Mr. Indika Gamage – Senior Manager HR, Mr. Nicholas Zhang- Group Technical Manager, Mr. Athula Abeywickrama -Factory manager, Polytex Koggala, Ms. Vindika Jayaratne – Manger of HR, factory’s branch union representatives were invited as special guests. A friendship netball match & volleyball match between school children and Polytex Koggala factory team was played to encourage the sporting spirit of the students.
Ms. Dinosha Jayasundera, senior manager Manager CSR of Esquel Group Hong Kong and Mr. Anura Peiris, Manager CSR of Polytex who were the key organizers who coordinated this project between Polytex and Rohana MV stated that Polytex team is happy to be involved in these kinds of community projects through which the company and its members can positively impact the community where they operate and help uplift the future livelihoods.
-Sujitha Miranda
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