Sri Lanka’s forest cover has largely disappeared in a very short time. In episode 7 of Strong Foundations, Sade Greenwood unravels the biggest threats to our forest habitats and a vital effort to conserve and repopulate them.
From child marriage under Muslim personal law to property rights challenges under Thesawalamai law, Sri Lankan women are caught in a battle for equal rights – and the need for reform is clear. We sat down with Shreen Saroor, founder of the Women’s Action Network, to discuss the hurdles and the hopes tied to the National Action Plan on Women, ...
In 2017, a mandatory quota was introduced to ensure that, by law, local governments must comprise at least 25% women. Seven years later, has this really changed power dynamics, women’s representation, and recognition in politics? We sat down with Jeevanee Kariyawasam and Bisliya Bhutto to answer two pressing questions: what’s holding back women in politics, and will the National Action ...
Without youth leaders who are empowered and educated, meaningful change in social cohesion, political representation, and development will remain a far off dream.Here’s how one transformative project is bridging the gap.
Are you familiar with the Women, Peace and Security Agenda? This year, Sri Lanka adopted its first ever National Action Plan (NAP), with a strong focus on Women, Peace and Security. This roadmap shows real promise in creating a conducive environment for gender equality, lasting peace, and the security of women. We sat down with Ramaaya Salgado and Esther Hoole, ...
In Sri Lanka’s tea industry, estate workers face significant housing struggles. This year’s ‘Co-Creating a Family-Friendly Tea Industry Conference’, hosted by @childrightsbiz and @savethechildren, sparked vital discussions on land rights and housing. Through collaborative efforts and diverse solutions, key industry stakeholders are aiming to create a better future for every worker. #SriLanka #LandRights #HousingRights #TeaEstateWorkers ...
Meet Kanthi, one of the few active fisherwomen working in one region of Sri Lanka’s biggest fishing districts. A widow, mother, and grandmother, Kanthi works two jobs to support her family. When the economic crisis hit the country, her livelihood nearly vanished. We visited her home in Palaviya, Puttalam, shadowing her as she set out on the lagoon to fish ...
Stigma and the lack of understanding are the main obstacles those with mental health conditions face on a daily basis. Even after recovery, these societal problems do not tend to fade away easily. In 2022, The Asia Foundation with the support of the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), provided livelihood assistance to 20 women-headed families receiving support from the ...
Sri Lankan cricket is at an interesting place right now. But, what does its future hold? In episode 6 of Strong Foundations, Sade Greenwood reveals what’s holding young cricketing talent back from realising their full potential and a proactive initiative that’s working to nurture them from the ground up.
Recovery from a mental health condition is a non-linear journey; it includes regaining your hope, curiosity, interests, and social connections. But, without a steady income, this journey can be filled with roadblocks. For many, engaging in a business can be a lifeline. Watch our space as we uncover why.#mentalhealth #lka #SriLanka
These days, staying indoors sounds like a great idea, particularly when it’s a dizzying 32°C outside and, as always, the air is polluted with the greenhouse gas emissions of city traffic, buildings, and burning waste. But, as you beat the heat in the comfort of your living room or your air-conditioned workspace, do you have the consolation of knowing the ...
We unveiled the trials and triumphs of 50 women entrepreneurs from across Sri Lanka, highlighting their individual journeys and innovative business ventures.
What is technopreneurship? Could it be key to strengthening business resilience in Sri Lanka? To help break it down, International Labour Organization (ILO) Sri Lanka organised a policy forum together with the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce and the Central Bank of Sri Lanka as well as key stakeholders and participants from diverse sectors to explore technopreneurship as “The Digital Path ...
“If you don’t pay the instalments, they won’t leave your house,” said Christina Hamine, a microfinance debtor from Kanthale, Trincomalee. Microfinance in Sri Lanka is seen as a driver of economic prosperity. However, today, many have fallen into crippling debt with the very companies that offered to help them. In their despair, they have been harassed, bullied, and threatened by ...
Last week, Sri Lanka celebrated its new harvest festival with what could be the largest paddy harvest in the recent past. What does this mean to every day Sri Lankans?
If there’s anything the recent heat has taught us, it’s that Sri Lanka has an abundance of sunshine. Climate change is upon us, but, for Sri Lanka, there could be an opportunity here. Can sunlight potentially help us say goodbye to power cuts and our energy insecurity, forever? Here’s what Solar Energy Specialist Kushan Jayasuriya has to say.
There are roughly 40 different spices in the world. But, there’s one spice (well, a spice mix) that could beat them all: Thuna-Paha, the traditional spice base that gives Sri Lankan curries their iconic flavour.
His entire village celebrated and gave him a crown, after Narayan Punniyaselvan (25) graduated from the University of Colombo in December 2022. He is the first university graduate from this tea plantation workers’ community in Nanu Oya, Nuwara Eliya — and for the 600 families in his community, living in abject poverty without access to many facilities, this was an ...
What challenges do Sri Lanka’s youth entrepreneurs face today? What is needed to create an enabling business environment that fosters youth entrepreneur success? @ILOSL partnered with @Ceylon.Chamber and @cbsrilanka to organise a policy forum that brought together key stakeholders and participants from diverse sectors to explore “Innovative Approaches to Reach Youth Entrepreneurship Excellence.” Here’s what you need to know. ...
