Company helps poverty relief drive in Sri Lanka

COLOMBO－Shantha Jayasiri lives in Pannila, a remote village in western Sri Lanka, about 59 kilometers from Colombo, the Sri Lankan capital. Jayasiri is one of the several villagers there in the district of Kalutara, whose income is not sufficient to meet life's basic needs. In the past, when his daughter, Vishmi Sadeesha, started a new school year every January, Jayasiri had to go around and borrow money from other people to buy stationery and other school materials.

It was not an easy task, because almost everyone else in Pannila is as poor as Jayasiri, with little or no extra money to help others in need.

However, fate has been smiling on the people in the village since it has been included in the China Merchants Silk Road Hope Village plan, sponsored by the China Merchants Group.