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GFF Inspires a New Vision for Empowerment in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka Unites (SLU) is a Non-Profit Organisation (“NPO”) that operates Sri Lanka’s largest youth movement. The vision is to unite the youth of Sri Lanka from all ethnic and religious groups in a movement which provides hope and facilitates reconciliation, paving the way for a peaceful and prosperous Sri Lanka for future generations. The organisation is active across all 25 districts, and there are currently 30,000 strong members. SLU has engaged over 1million youth over the last 15 years. The grassroots movement has scaled globally to 15 countries.

Moreover, Sri Lanka Unites is sustained with a chain of initiatives namely, Beats of One Nation, Champions of Change, Counter Hate Unit, Dream Team & School Relations Tour, Guide Book, Reconciliation Centers, Shark’s Tank, SHOW, SLU TV, SM Special Ops Unit, The Future Leaders Conference, THINK Campaign and Sustainability Initiative.

Project Roots is an initiative / subsidiary run through the Glenn Family Foundation (GFF) HELPS programme.

Project Roots can be denoted as an initiative / subsidiary run through the Glenn Family Foundation (GFF) HELPS programme. The idea has sprouted from Tharaka’s (GFF SL lead) lived experience volunteering and establishing the GFF SL programme back in 2019.

The vision is to lower the barriers for people to gain cultural intelligence and awareness while empowering local communities.

The mission is to facilitate the opportunity to learn about the roots of culture and support local NGOs. We will offer a cultural immersion programme for volunteers to deeply connect with language, arts, cultural practices, wellness and land — led by locals.

Project Roots target audience will be Sri Lankan diaspora who want to come back to the motherland to learn about their culture and/or give back.

Next steps involve finalising the business case for stage 1 gate review with Sir Owen, designing the programme and identifying volunteers for the pilot programme in December 2024.

Project roots with SLU : Sewing Workshop

Project Roots, an initiative of GFF, recently collaborated with Sri Lanka Unites to conduct a workshop in the Ampara-Kalmunai region. The workshop focused on empowering young women, especially those who had not excelled in their O-Level and A-level exams, by providing them with valuable sewing skills. In a region where societal constraints often limit opportunities for women, particularly with issues like early marriage and lack of technical training, this workshop aimed to demonstrate that sewing is a viable career path.

Participants were introduced to the basics of sewing, including how to create items like bags that could later be sold in local markets. The workshop not only provided technical skills but also highlighted the entrepreneurial potential of this craft, encouraging the women to see it as a means of future income generation. The initiative focused on breaking the stigma that sewing is not a worthwhile career and showed how it could lead to meaningful job opportunities.

Loav shares her experience

Loav shares her experience

Loav, a volunteer who facilitated the Project Roots workshop, shared her enriching experience during her time with Sri Lanka Unites (SLU). She felt an immediate sense of belonging, thanks to the warmth and inclusivity of the SLU staff, other volunteers, and the local children. Her connection with the participants, particularly the women in the sewing workshop, was strong due to their shared interest in sewing. She remarked how this community, despite challenges, demonstrated incredible resilience and eagerness to learn, which made her feel like she was among future colleagues rather than students.

Reflecting on her personal growth, Loav noted how the experience in Sri Lanka contrasted with her structured life in Germany. She learned to embrace a slower pace, understanding that different cultures have unique ways of learning and working. She found it particularly eye-opening to adapt her teaching style, realizing that many of the women were visual learners rather than following step-by-step instructions. This helped her develop a deeper understanding of cultural diversity in learning methods, and she felt a profound connection with the local community, something that resonated with her personal diaspora background.

Loav was deeply moved by the women’s desire to learn a skill like sewing, which could provide them with financial independence. She admired the efforts of SLU and Project Roots in breaking down societal barriers and offering young women the chance to pursue entrepreneurship. Loav felt that while her time was brief, it was a valuable and authentic experience, and she expressed her interest in supporting the initiative digitally from her home in Germany.

English for Thotalanga Children

After having a detailed meeting regarding field work logistics with Mr. Dasun, a Center Manager of Sri Lanka Unites, and Ms. Dhananjani, teacher from SLU’s Gampaha Reconciliation Center, the GFF Helps Sri Lanka team visited the Thotalanga flats in Colombo 15. This visit was aimed at understanding the local context and meeting the children who will be part of GFF’s upcoming English classes. The team engaged warmly with the children, discussing their future aspirations and gauging their interest in learning English. The response was overwhelmingly positive, as many of the children expressed a strong desire to improve their English skills. The living conditions in Thotalanga are challenging, with issues such as drug activity, improper waste management, and general untidiness affecting the community. Despite these hardships, the children remain eager to learn and better their prospects. Understanding the needs and background of these children, the GFF Helps Sri Lanka team is committed to providing them with quality English language education, offering a pathway to brighter futures amidst their difficult circumstances.

Joe FisherGFF Inspires a New Vision for Empowerment in Sri Lanka