ChildFund Japan, a child-focused development organization, has provided 500 bicycles under a grant to encourage daily school attendance of children in remote areas of Sri Lanka.

According to Sri Lanka’s Education Ministry, the official handing over of the bicycles was held under the patronage of Minister of Education Susil Premajayantha in Battaramulla today. 

Japanese Ambassador to Sri Lanka, MIZUKOSHI Hideaki, representative of the Japanese ‘Childfund’ Institute Yuko Ishanda and the National Director of the Sri Lankan ‘Childfund’ Institute Ms. Aditi Gosh participated in the event. 

The bicycles are to be provided to school children aged between 12- 16 years in 108 schools selected from 12 districts facing transportation difficulties, such as Monaragala, Puttalam, and Mullaitivu.

A distance of a minimum of over 2 kilometres between the residence and school, as well as economic and other difficulties faced by the family, are key factors taken into consideration under the criteria for the donation.