Empowering rural Sri Lankan women has always held a special place in my heart. Wanting to do something meaningful, our "Giving back” initiative at Sahana is at the center of supporting women in need through development programs. A lot of the time, rural women lack educational opportunities and financial independence. Unfortunately, this limits their chances of reaching their potential. 

Each year, we donate funds to sponsor a group of women to learn a new skill, graduate and enter the workforce. Some of the skills they learn are; dress making, curtain making, soft toy making, food preservation, and cooking. This experience goes beyond formal training - they are courses that build self-confidence, trust and faith in their true potential.  We hope this promotes a cycle of self-love that shines through women being the best versions of themselves, and takes shape as inspiration for their own daughters - showing them that dreaming, achieving and being whoever they want to be is infinitely possible. 

For over twenty years, I have been working with The Foundation of Goodness, a well regarded local non-profit organization in Sri Lanka that does extraordinary work for the community. The foundation has established core programs that provide adequate resources to uplift the women through education and skill-based labor. With them, we’ve successfully funded and supported a number of rural women each year in finding their identity through their talent, bringing home a well-earned income and supporting their families independently. To see the lives of these women change over the years has been a grounding experience for me. During the last few years of the pandemic, I had the privilege to run focused mentoring sessions to provide encouragement to those women who had lost direction and hope.

The foundation continues to open a world of opportunities for Sri Lankan women, making a lasting impact on the lives of many people. This work with the Foundation of Goodness is intertwined with Sahana’s values. 

Recently, I have been working on a sustainable income project for the foundation called ‘Dress for Good’. With our expertise, our aim is to establish an in-house fashion label lovingly created by underprivileged rural women. Watch this space…

With one shared goal in mind, empowerment continues to be a core value for us at Sahana. It has been a true privilege to be able to give back to communities close to my heart, a gift that keeps on giving. 

 

Inosha Campion - Designer