Sri Lanka
In 2023, Global Communities continued working to advance social cohesion and to improve employability opportunities for Sri Lankans through two programs funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
Under the Social Cohesion and Reconciliation (SCORE) program, we continued to support government-led initiatives at the sub-national and national levels and engaged with the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) to integrate principles of reconciliation mechanisms and peaceful coexistence in institutional processes.
During 2023, SCORE also opened a new office in the Central Highlands region to include Nuwara Eliya as an additional target district. SCORE began focusing on nearby plantation communities to provide a channel to advocate for peace and coexistence between the Malayagha Tamil community and neighboring communities. Activities included promoting community dialogue around key social, political and economic issues that influence social cohesion in Nuwara Eliya. The program also received several high-profile visits, including from U.S. Ambassador Julie Chung, USAID Mission Director Gabriel Grau and U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen. In August 2023, SCORE received a $1.5 million cost extension from USAID to extend the program until December 2024.
The Youth Employment and Business Empowerment (YouLead!) program aimed to increase the employability of young men and women in Sri Lanka. The program focused on conducting entrepreneurship development (ED) Training of Trainers (ToT) to guide local ED public institutions and instruct trainers at other organizations, including seven public universities and other major establishments. Each university developed entrepreneurs by conducting at least one entrepreneurship course, revising textbooks for aspiring entrepreneurs, and mentoring small and new business owners with an emphasis on female-led entrepreneurs. Other public institutes conducted over 30 additional training programs and instructed more than 400 young people. YouLead simultaneously worked with financial institutions to better evaluate project proposals and improve lending money to new businesses. Global Communities served as a sub-awardee under another U.S.-based organization. The YouLead program closed in December 2023 after completing five years of activities.