The Safe Bottle Lamp Foundation

Acknowledgements

We have been doing this work now for 18 years, and we owe our success to many foreign and local individuals and organizations. We bow our heads to them.
Some gave us financial assistance and helped us in the distribution of lamps, while magazine and newspaper organizations as well as TV and radio channels gave us the much needed publicity. If not for these benefactors, our campaign would have ended many years ago like the previous one launched in our country in 1965.

The biggest grant we got was the US$ 50,000 prize money for winning a Rolex Award for Enterprise in 1998, which was instrumental in the very establishment of our NGO. That enabled us to maximize the work that was hitherto carried out by one individual, and without basic facilities. More recently, (in 2009), we got US$ 20,000 for winning the top prize of ’World Challenge 09’ contest conducted by BBC, Newsweek and Shell. They and Rolex gave us extensive global publicity in international magazines and in CNN, BBC and VoA

An account of the prestigious Rolex Awards is given at the bottom of this page

The others who made handsome donations are as follows-

Foreign organizations and individuals:

Canada		Embassy in Sri Lanka
USA		Lindbergh Foundation & Sri Lankans in San Diego
Singapore		Rolex Watch Company and Mr Yeo Swee & Friends
UK		Sri Lankans in UK (Medicalaid2srilanka)
Australia		Sri Lankans in Melbourne & Ms Andrew Collier
France		Sri Lankans in Paris
Switzerland		Cargill International & Sri Lankans in Geneva
Netherlands		Shell, Alumni Association of Lanka
Japan		Japanese Women's Association
Germany		Deutsche Bank
Dubai		Ms Fathima Zohora Thahire
Korea		Sri Lankan Embassy Staff

Sri Lankan organizations and individuals:

The Sri Lankan benefactor who assisted us most is the Commercial Bank. They spent over Rs. 2 million to purchase a large number of our safe lamps, and to distribute them to school children in the Polonnaruwa District, 220 km from Colombo. The distribution was done after showing a playlet on burns in each school.

Govt. Organizations	Banks	NGOs	Others
The President's Fund Health Ministry S/L Insurance Corp NECDEP Cey Petroleum Corpn. Printing Corpn. Lotteries Board	Commercial DFCC People's Union NSB Sampath HNB	Plan Lanka Colombo Round table CCF- Sri Lanka Lions Clubs Rotary Clubs IRD WHO	Sir Arthur C Clarke Nawaloka Hospital Ceylinco Ins Company Eagle Insurance Co Trade Finance Mackwoods Charity Fund Nawakrama Unilever Ltd Indoscan Pvt Ltd. Pan Pharma Pvt Ltd Janashakthi Ins Dilma Tea Co. Dialog Telecom Laugfs Gas Co Brandix Mas Holdings Fonterra

Rolex Awards for Enterprise

“We initiated the Rolex Awards in 1976 out of a conviction that we had a responsibility to take an active interest in improving life on our planet and in the desire to foster values we cherish- quality, ingenuity, determination and a spirit of enterprise”

The late Andre J. Heiniger,
Founder of the Rolex Awards for Enterprise.

“We have continued to assist scores of Rolex Awards winners in their efforts to bring ground breaking projects to fruition. These bold and tenacious men and women have helped to make our planet a better place to live. We will continue to pay tribute to such initiative and resolve.”
Patrick Heiniger,

President and CEO of Montres Rolex S.A.
Chairman of the Selection Committee of the Rolex Awards for Enterprise

Objectives

The Rolex Awards for enterprise were established to provide financial assistance to those seeking to break new ground in areas that advance human knowledge and well- being. The Rolex Awards recognize pioneering concepts and innovative thought by giving individuals the means to achieve an important undertaking. They fund new or ongoing work. Winners also receive a Rolex chronometer and worldwide recognition of their work. They encourage new talent and assist in the completion of innovative projects.

History

The Rolex Watch Company of Geneva, Switzerland, has been guided by a pioneering spirit embodying ingenuity, quality and craftsmanship. In 1926, the founder of Rolex, Hans Wilsdorf, invented the world’s first waterproof and dustproof wrist watch called the Oyster. In 1976, Rolex decided to encourage those with an adventurous and searching spirit to help humankind, and the Rolex Awards have been granted on 17 occasions.

Areas of Recognition	Selection Criteria
Science and Medicine	Originality
Technology and Innovation	Feasibility
Exploration and Discovery	Potential Impact
The Environment	Spirit of Enterprise
Cultural Heritage

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