Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka has shown resilience through recent fiscal and political crises, and a durable recovery depends on stronger institutions, greater public trust, and broad-based growth.

We work with government, civil society, grassroots organizations, and communities to strengthen governance and justice, expand economic opportunity, and advance women’s rights and well-being. In Sri Lanka, we draw on decades of trusted relationships to support recovery, rebuild public trust, and strengthen local resilience—while helping create new pathways for shared growth through environmental resilience, digital transformation, and future-economy skills.

Impact

7,300+

Micro, small, and medium business owners and 1,200 university students

Gained practical digital skills, supporting improved business practices, job readiness, and participation in Sri Lanka’s digital economy.

300+

Women entrepreneurs

Have expanded their economic agency through improved access to finance, targeted skills development, mentorship, and stronger business networks—positioning them to grow their enterprises and increase income stability.

120+

Civil society organizations strengthened

CSOs improved institutional capacity through training and grant support, strengthening service delivery and engagement in policy and community processes.

200,000+

Community disputes resolved annually

More robust mediation systems supported faster, lower-cost community dispute resolution nationwide, reducing court backlogs, lowering costs for citizens, and supporting community-based conflict resolution.

340+

Local government agencies implementing performance financing

Sri Lanka’s first performance-based financing initiative linked local government funding to measurable results, improving accountability and public service delivery at the local level.

Sri lankan flag with statue and guards at sunrise

Making Local Government Work Better

Local governments need the right tools to better serve communities. We help Sri Lankan authorities use data, technology, and budgeting best practices to improve public services.

A participant sharing feedback at a Training of Trainers program on women's leadership for Community Women's Collectives.

Building Local Leadership for Women’s Rights

To strengthen women’s rights in Sri Lanka, we help women-led local organizations support community collectives, advocate for reforms, and sustain their work.

Advancing Women’s Economic Participation Through Care Reform

In Sri Lanka, unpaid care work limits women’s economic participation. We help women’s groups strengthen community care services, generate policy evidence, and build support for shared responsibility.

A wide-angle photo of a woman in a striped shirt and red pants speaking on a microphone to a large audience of business professionals gathered for an event.

Boosting Cybersecurity Across Asia and the Pacific

Small enterprises going digital are vulnerable to growing cyber threats. The APAC Cybersecurity Fund provides them with practical tools and skills to operate securely in the digital economy.

The Centre for a Smart Future sharing a case study illustrating the complex realities faced by female gig workers in Sri Lanka.

Opening Pathways for Women in the Gig Economy

This eight-month research initiative examines barriers and opportunities for women participating in Sri Lanka’s growing gig economy. Conducted in partnership with the Centre for a Smart Future, the study explores why women’s educational gains have not translated into comparable economic participation and generates practical recommendations to inform policy dialogue and future programming.

Let’s Read

Creating supportive reading environments where children can access free, relevant books and engaging learning opportunities.

Expanding Access to Justice

The Advancing Access to Justice program in Sri Lanka worked to strengthen both formal legal institutions and community‑based mechanisms. Over decades, it contributed to the national institutionalization of legal aid through 77 state‑funded offices, supported a professionalized mediation system, and improved trust between communities and police—including training more than 4,500 Sinhala‑speaking officers in Tamil to improve engagement in conflict‑affected areas.

Resolving Disputes Closer to Home

TAF’s justice programming strengthened Sri Lanka’s community mediation system as an accessible alternative to litigation. Supporting 329 mediation boards and more than 8,500 volunteer mediators, the work helped improve quality, consistency, and evidence use in dispute resolution. Today, approximately 200,000 disputes are referred annually, with around 70% resolved within three months, easing pressure on formal courts.

Countering Trafficking in Persons

This program strengthened Sri Lanka’s response to trafficking in persons by improving victim identification, protection services, investigations, and prosecutions. Through standardized operating procedures; training for border surveillance officers, investigators, and prosecutors; and improved coordination, the program contributed to the improvement of counter‑trafficking systems while advancing protections for migrant workers vulnerable to exploitation.

Building Mental Health Support After Crises

TAF’s mental health and psychosocial support program strengthened Sri Lanka’s national mental health and psychosocial support systems in the aftermath of disasters and crises, beginning after the 2004 tsunami. Through training and institutional partnerships, it built first responder capacity to react to emergencies, including the Easter Sunday attacks, COVID‑19, and major cyclones, while producing more than 20 publications now used in academic and professional training nationwide.

Improving Local Waste Management Systems

This program strengthened environmental governance by supporting practical, locally driven solutions. Its work helped local authorities adopt sustainable solid waste management practices, including a recycling model that reduced polyethylene terephthalate pollution while improving cost recovery. The nationally adopted ATLAS assessment tool equipped local governments with a consistent framework to strengthen waste management systems over time.