Microsoft partners Ministry of Child Affairs and SLANA to educate and empower children and youth
View(s):Microsoft Sri Lanka together with the State Ministry of Child Affairs and Sri Lanka Anti Narcotics Association (SLANA), held a workshop recently titled ‘Connecting Communities’ which is an initiative the assist the country’s children and youth to take the lead in driving change in their lives and that of their communities through technology.
The event graced by Rosy Senanayake, State Minister for Child Affairs, brought together civil society organisations, NGOs, Government and the private sector together to discuss issues faced by children and youth, dangers of cyber security and how well all stakeholders can work together to provide a safer, healthier environment for children in an age where technology plays a critical role in connecting people and communities, according to a media statement released by Microsoft.
Ms. Senanayake said that her Ministry is currently engaged in setting up more child friendly spaces at their Child Secretariat and plans to set up a child friendly phone line that would enable children to have direct access to the secretariat.Children would be able to discuss their problems and issues with Ministry personnel trained and geared to help provide the solutions these children need. However, the Minister said that they are in need of private sector and civil society partnership to make these changes happen – be they in trying to provide protection, nutrition or education and requested the support of the organisations present at the workshop.
“We are looking first of all to create a strong child friendly society and some of you can take on maybe a district or a province in looking after these child friendly societies and doing advocacy programmes with regard to how to get in to vocation programmes, etc. I would like to send you a very comprehensive report where you could come on board and support us. There is much work to be done in the North with regard to pre-schools and child friendly spaces, child societies, etc for which we need your support.”
Dr. Vinya Ariyaratne, Specialist in community medicine and General Secretary of the Sarvodaya Shramadana Movement, speaking at the workshop said that Sarvodaya as the country’s largest not for profit organisation has worked with a number of institutions like Microsoft as well as several government agencies on community development, child protection and welfare.
“We have initiated some new programmes and through the tele-centers we have set up, we are providing not just connectivity but also education to children and youth. Through our Sarvodaya Fusion network, which partners with Microsoft on several programmes we have designed some truly interesting and attractive curricula and material for children that would grab their interest while not denying them some of the things they are attracted to.”
Chandula Abeywickrama, Chairman of CSR Lanka, which represented the private sector, told the gathering that the corporate sector collectively spent Rs. 2 – 4 billion annually on CSR and a lot of it was not spent in a sustainable manner i.e. more on an adhoc philanthropic basis rather than on programmes that met a national need.
He said a lot of the funds were already available with the private sector but they needed to be properly engaged so that the country’s children and youth can benefit at a national level. “What we see is the private sector doing lots of bits and pieces here and there and moving away from national priority. It’s important to look at CSR from more of a stakeholder transformation point of view,” he said.