We build the capacity and self reliance of people.

• Strengthening civil society

• Promoting good governance

• Improving livelihoods and living conditions

Strengthening civil society

Community-based organisations
We facilitate the organisation of strong, sustainable people’s organisations by helping poor people organise into community-based organisations. The community-based organizations in turn coordinate with neighbouring villages, and so promote cooperation and development of the region as a whole. The result is a more organised and stable civil society, which enables further development work. With these strong people’s organisations in place other activities, such as improving education and influencing policy-making at a local level, take place and are driven by the people themselves. These organisations become catalysts for change.

Read about the Local Capacity and Community Restoration Project, where we helped 2,000 coir producers organise into 114 community-based organisations, 10 cluster groups and one Coir Exporters’ Federation.

Change agent training

We use the powerful method of ‘cascade’ training’. We train change agents who in turn train members of their community-based organisations in the field. The agents, mainly women, are emerging in all our project areas as leaders in their communities. This has the potential to have an enormous impact if it develops into political representation at local government level.

Partnerships for change
SAPSRI promotes alliances between these community-based organisations and the institutions that govern and shape people’s lives locally, for example local government departments and businesses. This ensures the sustainability of our projects and increases people’s participation.

Promoting good governance

We encourage good governance at community, local and national government level. We believe that open and accountable governance is essential to building a better future for all Sri Lankans.

At community level, we provide good governance and organisation management training to all community-based organisations and we ensure that proper procedures are put in place, understood and followed. These high standards mean that everyone is treated fairly, which in turn engenders a positive, harmonious membership. It earns the groups the respect of the community.

We promote interaction and dialogue between local government authorities and the people, helping government officials to be responsive to the needs and demands of the people. We strengthen local government structures and, in particular, increase women’s participation at local government level. At a national level, we work to raise awareness on the part of both citizens and the government of their roles, responsibilities and duties.

Improving livelihoods and living conditions

Microcredit and business training
Microcredit is a component of almost all of our projects. Combined with training, it is a powerful tool that helps communities work their way out of poverty. We provide comprehensive financial, business and entrepreneurship training. With practical skills and knowledge in subjects such as marketing, product promotion, pricing of a product, stock control and maintaining a book of accounts, people increase their profits and build a more secure future for themselves and their families.

Our credit program is based on the formation of community-based organisations. Credit is distributed through the group and managed by the members. This concept provides mutual and morally binding group guarantees, instead of physical collaterals. Intensive credit discipline among group members and supervision of the funds distinguish SAPSRI micro credit program from many others operating in Sri Lanka.

Read Zahira’s story. A loan and some business development training helped her build a successful jewellery business.

Infrastructure
Many of our projects have infrastructure components, including building and refurbishing houses, providing toilets and multi-purpose centres. These building projects are always in response to needs identified by the community.

We make sure that the construction process is managed and organised by the beneficiaries, as this builds a strong sense of ownership. As well as organising local contractors to do the work, the beneficiaries provide casual labour, such as painting and digging, themselves.
SAPSRI has facilitated the construction of multi-purpose centers across the country. These have helped communities to meet, discuss issues and take decisions.

In 2008/09 we

• Built 25 new houses and refurbished 40 houses for tsunami-affected households in the Ampara district.

• Built 30 new toilets for families in Ampara.

• Connected 100 households connected to the water mains

• Upgraded 35 houses for households living in Colombo slums.

• Built six multi-purpose centres and one federation building in the Galle district.