The Cabinet of Ministers has approved a proposal to utilise a US$ 75,000 grant from the late Christobel C. Sanders’ trust to strengthen scholarships and social programmes at the National Institute of Social Development (NISD).

The NISD, established under the National Institute of Social Development Act No. 41 of 1992, is a degree-awarding institute recognised by the University Grants Commission. The Act allows the Institute to receive funding from local or international sources by way of donations, gifts, or grants.

The endowment honours Professor Daniel Selvaraja Sanders, who served as an educationist in social work at the Institute of Social Work in Sri Lanka from 1955 to 1957. Following his passing, his wife, Mrs. Christobel C. Sanders, established the Professor D. Sanders Endowment Scholarship Scheme in 1996. To date, 14 students have benefitted from the scheme.

Mrs. Sanders passed away in 2023, after which trustees of her estate informed that US$ 75,000 had been allocated to the NISD to continue the scholarship programme. The Cabinet approved the proposal presented by the Minister of Rural Development, Social Security, and Community Empowerment to properly obtain and administer the funds.

The grant will be used to support exemplary social work students and to fund wider community-based social improvement initiatives.