Seylan Bank nurtures a future of financial literacy with its 291st ‘Pahasara’ Library at A/Buddhangala Central College

Seylan Bank PLC marked another milestone in its flagship Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) initiatives by opening its 291^st ‘Pahasara’ Library at A/Buddhangala Central College, Padavi-Parakramapur. The ceremony was held on the 27^th of March 2026, under the patronage of Ruwan Maithripala, Zonal Director of Education (Kebithigollewa), T.P. Jayasinghe, Divisional Director of Education (Padaviya), Kapila S. Kumara, Principal, A/Buddhangala Central College, Padaviya and Jananda Rathnayake, Regional Manager, North Central Province, Seylan Bank and Neel Nishantha,  Branch Manager, Padaviya Branch, Seylan Bank.

The newly refurbished library was officially handed over following the completion of ‘Pahasara Week’, a series of student-focused engagement activities conducted jointly by Seylan Bank and the school. As part of the initiative, the bank donated books along with a laptop and smart board to support learning and digital access.

The school’s ‘Pahasara Week’ was held prior to the opening of the library, on the 24^th and 26^th of March 2026, and concluded with the celebratory opening ceremony of the new ‘Pahasara’ chapter. With an emphasis on energising the athletic, creative, and intellectual skills of young learners, ‘Pahasara’ Week brought students from across different grades together in a community event celebrating the new library’s opening. The first session included a school cricket competition and an interactive Tikiri Pola. The subsequent session introduced students from across grades 10 and 11 to the essentials of finance management through a financial literacy workshop. The event was further complemented by a school art competition, allowing students to demonstrate their skill in artistic expression.

Speaking on the occasion, Asiri Abhayaratne, AGM Marketing and Sales, Seylan Bank said, “The opening of the 291^st library represents a significant step as the Bank moves steadily toward its commitment of establishing 300 ‘Pahasara’ Libraries across the country. Seylan Bank remains committed to funding library refurbishments and providing essential educational resources to cultivate students’ knowledge and skills.”

Education officials, teachers, parents, and students extended their full cooperation to ensure the success of the programme, with strong student participation recorded throughout ‘Pahasara Week’ activities.

The Seylan ‘Pahasara’ Library Project, launched on March 1, 2013, stands as Seylan Bank’s long-term social sustainability initiative, placing education at the centre of empowering future generations. Through this programme, Seylan Bank continues to support schools islandwide by strengthening library infrastructure and expanding access to essential learning tools. As the Bank moves steadily towards its landmark 300^th ‘Pahasara’ Library, this milestone represents one of the biggest achievements in the ‘Pahasara’ journey, reinforcing Seylan Bank’s commitment to building knowledge, nurturing financial literacy, and creating lasting community impact across Sri Lanka.