Avinya Academy, Bandaragama, is thrilled to announce the commencement of its second batch of students for their Empower Program on September 4, 2023.
Building on the success of the inaugural program, the academy is expanding its reach and impact by welcoming 126 new students who will embark on a journey to acquire essential 21st-century skills, ensuring a robust foundation of employability competencies before venturing into the professional world. Throughout this process, they also explore innovative approaches to learning, enhancing their overall educational experience by building confidence and discovering their passion and potential.
Dinesha Senaratne, Head of the Empower Program, highlighted the importance of updating the curriculum to ensure the effectiveness of the Empower Program. She stated, “The academic team has been working hard over the past few weeks to reflect on our first batch and make the changes to our curriculum and procedures in the classroom to make the Empower Program better this time around. We have found that our student centered approach of using project based learning has made a significant impact on how students learn and engage with learning.”
This milestone marks a significant step forward in Avinya Foundation’s mission to empower less-privileged students with the essential skills and knowledge required to thrive in skills-based professions by creating pathways for success and bridging employability gaps.
Anju Moses, Executive Director of Avinya Foundation stated, “At Avinya, our commitment goes beyond academics. We are dedicated to nurturing well-rounded individuals who are not only proficient in their chosen professions but are also responsible, compassionate citizens.”
While celebrating this exciting moment, the Avinya Foundation looks forward to working with more partners and donors who share the vision of expanding educational opportunities for Sri Lanka’s youth.
Dr. Sanjiva Weerawarana, Founder and Chairman of Avinya Foundation, stated, “By investing in Sri Lanka’s skilled workforce and nurturing the potential within its youth, we can empower these students, not only to excel in their chosen professions but also to ease their transition into the world of work.”
By combining collective endeavors and financial contributions, the Avinya Foundation strives to play a role in shaping a brighter future for Sri Lanka. This vision centers on empowering youth who might otherwise lack the opportunity and drive to nurture their growth, discover their passions and achieve their true potential.
About Avinya Foundation
Established in 2022, Avinya Foundation (Gte) Ltd is a not-for-profit organization providing economically disadvantaged children an opportunity to become professionals via the alternative path of world-class education in 21st century life skills. Students have access to means-tested education, which includes both partial and full scholarships for those facing financial difficulties.
The vision of the Foundation is to establish a network of schools around the country to provide geographically-accessible opportunities to students all around the country, one in each of the divisional secretariat areas. With the six-month course calendar cycle, each school will have a total of 240 students over a period of one year at full capacity. At full scale, the Foundation expects to provide opportunities to 20% of the over 17 student cohort each year to obtain a world-class alternative education pathway.
The members of the foundation are Dr. Indrajit Coomaraswamy, Dr. Tara de Mel, Anarkali Moonesinghe, Ashroff Omar, Dr. Sanjiva Weerawarana, and Kasturi Chellerajah Wilson. The board of directors are Dr. Sanjiva Weerawarana, Dr. Vinya Ariyaratne and Ms. Thusitha Perera.