HSBC launches school environmental education programme in Sinharaja
PROGRAMME: HSBC recently launched an educational environment
programme for 400 schoolchildren in five schools, namely Weddagala Maha
Vidyalaya, Pothupitiya Maha Vidyalaya, Kudawa Maha Vidyalaya, Gamini
Maha Vidyalaya and Thiriwanaketiya Vidyalaya, which are situated in and
around the vicinity of the Sinharaja forest.
The need to conserve the Sinharaja rainforest is becoming
increasingly important to Sri Lanka with climate change being seen as a
serious threat to the world.
Therefore, HSBC, together with Field Ornithology Group (FOG) attached
to the University of Colombo, took this initiative in order to sensitise
students to the environmental issues facing the Sinharaja rainforest and
to create a core group of schoolchildren dedicated to the cause of
environmental conservation.
The school environmental programme will comprise an intensive one
year course on environmental issues, school beautification programme,
school library programme and many nature outings.
HSBC has always been committed towards the preservation of the
environment, with HSBC staff being sent on the Homestay Programme.
This provided them with the opportunity to interact with the
villagers living in the Sinharaja buffer zone, take part in their daily
activities and allowed them to experience the hardships the villagers go
through, while learning about the importance of the Sinharaja
rainforest.
Other than for this project, HSBC has played a major role in the
conservation of Horton Plains.
Collaborating with the Department for Wildlife Conservation, this
project aims to keep the plains free from litter.
Awareness is a major part of this campaign and the hoardings placed
at strategic points around the Horton Plains bear witness to this
strategy.
The world’s local bank, HSBC maintains presence in 10,000 offices in
82 countries and territories worldwide. The bank has a comparably strong
presence in North and South America, Europe and Asia-Pacific and
declared assets of USD 1,861 billion as at 31 December 2006.
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