On the 5th April, the Seenigama villagers and Foundation staff had the pleasure of hosting the AVIVA Global Chairman, Mr Richard Harvey, as well as his lovely wife and colleagues. The group were in the region for only a short business trip, but Mr Harvey and company made a special effort to ensure that they got to Seenigama to see the recently completed WNS/AVIVA Village. Indeed, it certainly was a special effort since they even flew from Colombo to the Galle district in a helicopter to allow themselves time for the occasion.

In the usual fashion, our special guests were greeted and warmly welcomed by smiling villagers and talented village performers before being led to the fantastic new complex. After the traditional lighting of the oil lamps and the unveiling of the new plaque for the housing complex, speeches were made by WNS Managing Director, Dushan Soza, the AVIVA Global Chairman himself, Mr Richard Harvey, and of course our Founder, Kushil Gunasekera.

 
A group of village girls eagerly awaiting Mr and Mrs Harvey's arrival for a warm welcoming

Mr Harvey's speech was extremely touching, particularly when he retold how KPMG staff were so saddened when they heard about the tsunami that they each decided to sacrifice a portion of their wages towards assisting tsunami-affected families. Mr Harvey went on to say that he could now return home and personally inform and reassure his colleagues of the fantastic work that has been done in Seenigama.

Mr Richard Harvey unveiling the new WNS/AVIVA plaque

WNS Global Services, contracted by AVIVA (the holding company of Norwich Union Insurance in the UK), has designed and co-ordinated an exciting new project in Seenigama - the construction of a model village called 'AVIVA Village'. Now complete, this mini-village is an enormous success and in fact, is the first of its kind in the area, if not the entire country. Comprising 10 houses, a Grocery Store, a very stylish Community Centre, a Computer Training Facility, a Salon (a first for Seenigama!), a library, and a Post Office (another first for Seenigama!), this communal living space is more than the residents could have ever dreamed.

Yet, WNS/AVIVA's involvement does not stop there. Now that the complex is complete, the staff at WNS (Sri Lanka) wish to ensure that the welfare of the residents is not only maintained but continuously improved through workshops that their staff will personally hold every month in various areas, including workshops for children, store owners and the like. In fact, WNS Managing Director, Dushan Soza, confirmed WNS' commitment to not only the AVIVA village but to the Seenigama region by stating that WNS is committed to ensuring that the youth of the region are computer literate in two years time.

Village children receiving their balloons

WNS/AVIVA are truly remarkable examples of corporate social responsibility in today's world that we hope will continue to assist and inspire. We are so grateful for all their continuous support.