Twenty-one young people from Sri Lankan postal workers’ families received support for their education at the 12th UNI Apro-JPGU Kanto Scholarship Award Ceremony, held in Colombo on 26 August 2026.
The recipients comprise 12 women and nine men at different stages of their education. The scholarships support students completing their “A” Levels in preparation for university enrolment, as well as students who have completed at least two years of university education.
Their current and intended fields include engineering and medicine. Nine of the 12 women are pursuing or plan to pursue STEM-related studies, mainly engineering, while two recipients are studying medicine.
This year, the Scholarship Board introduced a new selection process that looked beyond conventional academic testing. For the first time, the previous IQ-based test was replaced by an assessment of teamwork, problem-solving and the ability to apply knowledge. The initial assessment was also conducted online.
Scholarship Board Chairman Jayasri Priyalal said the change reflected the need for young people who can work together and respond to emerging technological, ecological and social challenges. The Board was also impressed by applicants who sought knowledge beyond the classroom and used digital tools to support their learning.
The students’ abilities were reflected in the ceremony itself. Scholarship recipient Gimhan Samaraweera digitally designed its invitation and programme.
Speaking on behalf of the recipients, D Pasindi Dinelka Alwis said the scholarship provided more than financial assistance. It also gave students encouragement and confidence to continue their education and work towards their goals.
She recognised the support and sacrifices of the recipients’ families and said the students had a responsibility to make good use of the opportunities given to them.
“Perhaps one day, one of us will be able to help another student achieve their dream,” she said.
The scholarship programme was established in 2002 with support from Japanese postal workers and initially assisted ten students. Since then, more than 150 young people have benefited. Many former recipients have completed university and gone on to work as doctors, engineers, nurses, language specialists, journalists, fashion designers and other professionals.
The relationship behind the programme extends beyond financial support. JPGU Kanto shares messages of appreciation and progress reports from scholarship recipients with its members in Japan, helping them understand what their contributions have made possible. These updates have continued to generate encouragement and support for the programme among the union’s members.
In a message delivered on his behalf by Hinari Yasojima, Committee Member of JPGU Kanto Regional Headquarters, JPGU Kanto President Kenji Saiki described the scholarship as a product of the close relationship built between postal workers in both countries.
“I believe that this scholarship award function itself is a symbol of the long-standing friendship and solidarity among UNI, the postal unions of Sri Lanka, and the JPGU Kanto Regional Headquarters,” Saiki said.
He added that the programme reflected the trust and friendship developed through more than 25 years of exchange and cooperation between Japanese and Sri Lankan postal workers through UNI. Saiki congratulated the 21 recipients and encouraged them to make full use of the opportunity to pursue their goals and build their futures.
Over successive rounds, the programme has responded to the changing circumstances facing young people. The ninth scholarship ceremony in 2019 highlighted the skills required for the future of work. The 10th scholarship awards took place amid Sri Lanka’s severe economic crisis, while the 11th ceremony in 2024 brought participants together in person for the first time in five years following the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“For more than two decades, JPGU Kanto has demonstrated a strong commitment to international solidarity through its sustained financial support for this scholarship programme. UNI Asia & Pacific is honoured to play a part in this meaningful initiative,” said Rajendra Acharya, UNI Asia & Pacific Regional Secretary.
“We congratulate the 21 recipients in the 12th batch and look forward to seeing how they use their education to contribute to their communities and society.”
The scholarship ceremony took place after the opening session of the 7th UNI Asia & Pacific Post and Logistics Conference, held in Colombo on 26–27 August. This brought regional and global postal union leaders attending the conference together with the scholarship recipients and their families.
The ceremony was attended by Masami Adachi, President of JPGU and UNI Apro Post and Logistics, Jan Simpson, President of UNI Global Union Post and Logistics, Cornelia Berger, Head of UNI Global Union Post and Logistics, Ruwan Sathkumara, Postmaster General of Sri Lanka, representatives of JPGU Kanto and leaders of Sri Lanka’s postal unions.
The programme is jointly supported in Sri Lanka by the Union of Postal and Telecommunications Officers, the National Postal and Telecommunications Workers’ Union and the Sri Lanka Postal and Telecommunications Services Union, together with UNI Asia & Pacific and the Scholarship Board.
