Sewalanka Foundation

Sevalanka started during a period of great uncertainty in Sri Lanka. Violent conflict was tearing apart the social fabric of the country. Power was centralized. Rule of law was under threat. Youth were frustrated. Civil society was divided along ethnic and political lines. In the midst of this chaos, a group of like-minded activists and development practitioners met in the ancient city of Anuradhapura. They came together across Sinhala and Tamil divisions to discuss a way forward.

The outcome was Sevalanka, an organization for all communities, that would continue focusing on the “long haul” development work that was needed for future peace, prosperity, and sustainability. The founders agreed that regardless of the day to day challenges, Sevalanka would remain committed to social mobilization and strengthening the institutional capacity building of rural community based organizations, producer groups, and cooperatives.

This is the story behind the logo. Sevalanka plants seeds, waters them, and nurtures them as they flower and mature. These flowers have the potential to produce thousands of seeds which are the flowers of the next generation.

Over the next two decades, Sevalanka became known as a national development organization and worked in almost every district of the country. It helped communities assess needs and opportunities. It helped develop irrigation tanks, canals, agrowells, houses, schools, community centers, and other common facilities. It improved access to resources, training opportunities, and technical services.