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Advertorial
Brandix, Lanka Walltile provide water to Pubudugama
Brandix has spearheaded an initiative to build a water supply scheme
for a remote community.
A 60,000 litre concrete overhead water tank now stands in the middle
of the Pubudugama village in the Polonnaruwa District, testimony to the
combined resources of Brandix and Lanka Walltile. The villagers have
also raised Rs 1 million and provided labour for the project.
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Brandix CSR Head Anusha Alles
commissioning the water supply scheme at Pubudugama. |
Costing Rs 3.9 million, the project comprises of an eight metre well,
a pump house, the overhead tank and the pipeline that brings the water
to it. Potable water is now available on tap in the village, and it is
expected that a distribution network that will take the water to
individual homes will be built by the beneficiaries themselves at a
later stage.
"This project exemplifies what can be achieved by working in
partnership with the beneficiary community," Brandix CSR, Head Anusha
Alles said.
"The villagers rose to the occasion, justifying our faith in them and
buying into the project."
She said Lanka Walltile had donated the materials required for the
construction, while the Brandix Group had contributed the balance funds
required and coordinated the work.
"We were happy to partner with Brandix Lanka on this project as we
saw Pubudugama villagers in dire need of drinking water with nobody to
help them. What is unique here is that the villagers themselves became
key stakeholders by contributing finances that made a difference to the
project, as otherwise it would have become unsustainable in the long
run.
Now we are confident that this scheme will function properly in the
long run as the users themselves are stakeholders. We are happy to be of
help to this village that had endured many trials and tribulations
during years of war," Lanka Walltile Managing Director Mahendra
Jayasekera said.
Pubudugama had been overlooked in the development of water supply
infrastructure in the area, resulting in villagers having to walk more
than two kilometers to an open reservoir for their water.
Impurities in the water had been the cause of a high incidence of
water-borne disease among the villagers, who had solicited the help of
Brandix to resolve the problem.
The beneficiaries of the project are mostly low income subsistence
farmers and their families. "The Brandix Group's water and sanitation
related projects are targeted as such at vulnerable and overlooked
communities that desperately need help," Alles said.
World's top 500 brand survey
There's no doubt it's the 'real thing' as Coca-Cola, which enjoyed a
six percent increase in its brand value this year, has climbed the table
of the world's most valuable brands as its biggest rival Pepsi slips
nine places.
This finding is gathered by the annual Brand Finance Global 500
survey published this week by Brand Finance plc, the world's leading
brand valuation consultancy.
The report shows that whilst Coca-Cola's iconic brand has risen in
worth to US$ 34,844 million, Pepsi's brand is valued at less than half
at US$15,991 million, also a 6 percent year on year rise.
Coca-Cola is now rated the third most valuable brand in the world
behind retail giant Walmart and Google whilst Pepsi slips to number 30
in this year's rankings.
Elsewhere in the beverage sector there are rises up the Global 500
table for Budweiser, climbing four places to be ranked the 15th most
valuable brand in the world.
Nestle's instant soup brand Maggi climbs from 240 to 156 and Mexican
beer Corona climbs from 221 to 184 as a result of a 53 percent increase
in the value of its brand.
Beverage brands new to the Global 500 this year include Mountain Dew
(at 237), Nestle Pure Life flavoured water brand (at 257), Gatorade
(279) and Foster's (284). In the broader report, the big brand winners
include Google climbing to number two and retail giant Walmart, whose
brand value increased 2 percent this year, guaranteeing it top spot
again in the annual survey.
They share top ten status with technology brands IBM, Microsoft and
hp; HSBC, the world's most valuable banking brand; GE, Vodafone and
Toyota. Brand Finance Ratings
HNB, United Motors join to promote Mitsubishi Single Cabs
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HNB Managing Director/CEO Rajendra
Theagarajah and United Motors Lanka CEO/Executive Director
Chanaka Yatawara, exchange agreement documents. Deputy
General Manager (Marketing and Retail Banking) Chandula
Abeywickrema, HNB Chief Manager (Leasing) Keerthi Wijeratne,
HNB Assurance CEO Manjula de Silva, General Manager - Truck
and Bus Gihan Pilapitiya and United Motors Key Accounts
Manager Manohara Dissanayaka look on. |
Hatton National Bank joined hands with United Motors Lanka PLC to
promote Mitsubishi Single Cabs through a tailor-made leasing package.
HNB Leasing will offer unmatchable attractive leasing packages for
brand new Mitsubishi Single Cabs.
Customers can walk away with a brand new Mitsubishi Single Cab by
paying a Rs 500,000 down payment and thereafter a monthly rental of Rs
50,530.
This package includes 1st year insurance and registration free.
Chilaw Finance celebrates 30th anniversary
Chilaw Finance Ltd, a registered finance company in terms of section
2 of the finance companies Act No 78 of 1988, celebrated its 30th
anniversary.
Chilaw Finance commenced business in March 1980 with an initial
capital of Rs 100,000. It has grown rapidly since, and today the company
holds total shareholders funds amounting to Rs 292 million.
Chilaw Finance Ltd has been serving Wayamba Province for over quarter
of a century in terms of good returns to its depositors and reasonable
lending rates to its customers and stable job opportunities to Wayamba
based workforce.
The company's customer base includes small and medium entrepreneurs,
fixed earners, poor and middle class segments within the province that
the traditional banking and financial sectors usually marginalized as
non credit worthy or below cost effective outreach threshold.
Chilaw Finance was involved in the social and economic development of
the Wayamba Province in company's subconscious vision before policy
makers and big financial players realized and took action to enter
company's strategic route of catering to these segments.
The recent collapse of domestic illegal deposit taking institutions
adversely affected public confidence of financial institutions.
As a result, even regulated financial institutions have reported
marked reductions in deposit renewals.
However, Chilaw Finance has maintained a high level of deposit
renewal rate due to high reputation and goodwill of the company over the
past quarter century.
Chilaw Finance Ltd has managed to maintain Central Bank statutory
liquidity requirements which is well above the industry norms.
The company's capital adequacy far exceeds the industry norms and
regulatory minima will overwhelmingly prove that the company's business
model exceeds expectations reflected in those stipulations imposed to
ensure a stable finance company with a long-term vision.
Airtel-SLT tie up
Bharti Airtel Lanka and SLT Rainbow Pages entered into an MOU
recently.
This enables all Airtel customers to access the SLT Rainbow Pages
Directory information through their Airtel GPRS and 3G enabled handsets.
Available in Sinhala, Tamil or English, Airtel customers can now access
a comprehensive directory base that contains contact details of
government organisations and business entities as well as telephone
numbers of schools, police stations and hospitals throughout the
country. In addition, the portal also features an useful link that
navigates users to access emergency and roadside assistance.
 AMW has launched a new design of the Nissan Sunny with a four year
warranty.
AMW General Manager Yohan de Zoysa said "We stand behind our core
belief of giving the best possible service to our customers."
AMW is proud to be able to stand behind this product in a never
before seen manner.
We are confident of the quality and the durability of our product
that we are happy to be the first company in Sri Lanka to make such an
offer," he said.
The entire car has been redesigned, from its dynamically sculpted
front to the sporty new rear; it is the perfect family car. Both the 1.3
and 1.6-litre QG engines provide the perfect levels of torque for
powerful acceleration at any speed. Stylish yet sporty white dashboard
meters with orange illumination provide high visibility at a glance.
Add that to the Fin-type 15 inch alloy wheels and 14- inch full wheel
covers.
This new car comes in a range of fashion forward colours both for the
exterior and the upholstery, so that customers can choose the colour
that matches their personality.
Customers have the option of trading in their older Nissan Sunny and
buying this latest model. |
