Sri Lanka receives award money from Bill Gates Foundation

November 16, 2024

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President - Parliament - Prime Minister

Sri Lanka receives award money from Bill Gates Foundation

December 10, 2014

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Award for International Access to Learning was won by Sri Lanka for the Nenasala Project. The Access to Learning Award consists of a cash award of US$1 million and completed software valued at US$ 2.3 million was handed over to President Mahinda Rajapaksa on Tuesday (09) at Temple Trees. Sri Lanka won the first place for the Rural Information Technological Project which attracted 150 projects presented by 110 countries.

Mr.Cesar Cernuda, President of the Microsoft Asia Pacific Region who was present on the occasion stated that through the Nenasala Project initiated by President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Information Technology has made great strides in Sri Lanka.

Microsoft will make further investments here together with accompanying awards for exceptional technological development.

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation had selected Sri Lanka for this award in recognition of its work to provide free access to computers and the Internet to underserved Sri Lankans living in remote and rural areas.The programme sets an example to other world leaders.

President Rajapaksa stated that the money Sri Lanka received would be utilized to strengthen the infrastructure facilities of the Project.

Minister for Telecommunications and Information Technology Ranjith Siyambalapitiya, Secretary to the Ministry Gotabaya Jayarathna and the CEO of the Sri Lanka Information Communication Technology Agency (ICTA) Roshan Devapura were present.(NJ/KH)