FOUNDATION.LK’s Hithawathi Teens Hub Expansion Project Wins Gold at NPMEA 2026

Colombo, Sri Lanka — FOUNDATION.LK, the social empowerment arm of LK Domain Registry, has achieved a significant milestone with its Hithawathi Teens Hub Expansion Project receiving the Gold Award at the National Project Management Excellence Awards (NPMEA) 2026, organized by the PMI Colombo, Sri Lanka Chapter.

The project was recognized under Category 13 – Best Managed Project in Community Development / NGO, recognizing excellence in project management and its contribution to creating safer digital environments for young people.

The award, presented on 18 August 2026 at Waters Edge, Battaramulla, is a significant achievement for FOUNDATION.LK and Hithawathi, reaffirming their commitment to promoting cyber safety and digital empowerment among Sri Lankan communities.

Empowering young people to be safer online

Hithawathi, a flagship project of FOUNDATION.LK, is focused on promoting cyber safety and responsible digital behaviour among Sri Lankans, with a particular focus on women and children. Through awareness, education and its free, trilingual support services, Hithawathi helps communities navigate the digital world more safely and confidently.

The Hithawathi Teens Hub initiative was initially introduced as a pilot project to establish school-based spaces where students could learn about cyber safety, understand responsible digital behaviour and share their knowledge with their peers.

Following the successful pilot, the initiative was expanded with the sponsorship of LK Domain Registry, following a request by Prof. Gihan Dias, Domain Registrar / CEO of LK Domain Registry, to extend the programme to more schools.

The Hithawathi Teens Hub Expansion Project, implemented from November 2023 to April 2025, established Teens Hubs in 29 additional schools across the Badulla, Passara and Galewela Educational Zones. The initial pilot was funded through the Resiliency Initiative, a partnership between Meta and The Asia Foundation.

Building sustainable cyber safety awareness

A key focus of the expansion was to move beyond one-time awareness programmes and establish a sustainable, school-based approach to cyber safety.

Through the Teens Hubs, teachers and students were encouraged to play an active role in promoting safer and more responsible use of digital technologies within their school communities. The project brought together the Ministry of Education, Zonal Education authorities, school principals, teachers, students and other stakeholders.

The project followed a structured approach to planning, stakeholder coordination, risk management, monitoring and project closure, contributing to its successful implementation and long-term impact.

Recognition of excellence

The Gold Award at NPMEA 2026 recognizes both the quality of project management and the meaningful community outcomes achieved through the initiative.

Representing FOUNDATION.LK at the awards ceremony were Ms. Niroja Jayawickrama, CEO of FOUNDATION.LK, and Ms. Dilusha De Silva, Project Manager – Hithawathi.

“This recognition is a proud moment for FOUNDATION.LK and the entire Hithawathi team. It also recognizes the collective efforts of our partners, education authorities, teachers and students who contributed to making the Teens Hub initiative a success,” said Ms. Niroja Jayawickrama, CEO of FOUNDATION.LK.

The recognition further strengthens FOUNDATION.LK’s commitment to its vision of creating digitally empowered communities, while Hithawathi continues its mission of helping Sri Lankans, particularly young people, use digital spaces safely and responsibly.

Hithawathi is a project of FOUNDATION.LK dedicated to promoting cyber safety and empowering Sri Lankans to navigate the digital world safely and confidently.

Photo credits: NPMEA 2026 organizers