Thus, understanding that children have become a vulnerable segment on Sri Lanka’s roads, Allianz Lanka has launched an initiative to help increase and promote safety of children on the road. Allianz Lanka is accomplishing this through the donation of 1,200 child safety helmets at various locations across its network. Accordingly, child safety helmets were donated at 24 Allianz locations islandwide on the 23rd, 25th and 28th of November 2022. This effort will contribute to Allianz Lanka’s “Societal” initiatives, through which it hopes to achieve social upliftment and increased social inclusion.
Allianz Lanka believes that Sri Lanka’s children, the future of the nation, deserve to grow up in a safe environment, protected from life’s challenges and adversities, so they may pursue their dreams with confidence. That is why providing necessary support to ensure a sustainable future for Sri Lanka’s children is one of the main focus areas for Allianz Lanka. In this endeavor, Allianz Lanka has noticed growing numbers of children travelling by motorcycle without proper protection in Colombo and other areas. Having conducted further research on this, it was discovered that the number of children travelling on motorcycles as pillion riders without safety helmets or adequate protection is far higher in rural areas. Travelling without a helmet is not just a serious offence, it can result in fatal injuries in case of an accident.
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The main event to raise awareness and launch the programme was held at Allianz Lanka’s branch in Kalutara, where 50 safety helmets were donated to children in the area, alongside a small ceremony and awareness programme. Selected schoolchildren studying in grades 1-5 were presented with safety helmets by Allianz Lanka, under the aegis of the Sri Lanka Police. Working together, the Sri Lanka Police and Allianz Lanka will also carry out an ongoing effort to raise awareness about proper helmet use and standards, along with road safety basics. CEO, Country Manager at Allianz Insurance Lanka Ltd, Alan Smee, together with CMO, Mangala Bandara, and other senior members of the Allianz Lanka management team were present at the event in Kalutara.
Commenting on the initiative, Mangala Bandara, Chief Marketing Officer at Allianz Insurance Lanka Limited said, “Everyday, we help millions of people in Sri Lanka and around the world, protect their most precious things in life, and few things are more precious than our children. It is, therefore, unfortunate to see that children have become a very vulnerable segment on Sri Lanka’s roads. Every few days we hear of fatalities and or serious injuries, while road incidents involving children occur on a daily basis. As a responsible corporate citizen, and an insurer of choice, we believe we have a moral obligation and social commitment to help protect our precious children. It is this that has inspired us to undertake this project in partnership with the Sri Lanka Police, and we look forward to providing child safety helmets and conducting ongoing road safety awareness programmes to reduce the incidence of children involved in accidents and incidents on Sri Lanka’s roads.”
Allianz Lanka’s branches in Kalutara, Hatton, Medawachchiya, Nikaweratiya, Kuliyapitiya, Kalawana, Akuressa and Chunnakam, participated in the Allianz child safety helmet donation programme on the 23rd of November 2022, with each branch donating 50 helmets to schoolchildren in their areas. On the 25th of November 2022, Allianz Lanka’s branches in Monaragala, Nuwara Eliya, Anuradhapura, Puttalam, Horana, Gampaha, Mathugama and Batticaloa undertook their donation drives, also each donating 50 helmets, while branches in Kilinochchi, Tissamaharama, Mahiyanganaya, Hingurakgoda, Kegalle, Kahawatte, Piliyandala and Bandaragama did the same on the 28th of November 2022.
Allianz Insurance Lanka Ltd. and Allianz Life Insurance Lanka Ltd., known together as Allianz Lanka, are fully-owned subsidiaries of Allianz SE, a global financial services provider with services predominantly in the insurance and asset management businesses, headquartered in Munich, Germany. The global strength and solid capitalization of the Allianz Group, coupled with local expertise and business know-how, have been Allianz Lanka’s powerful formula for success.