Posts Tagged ‘SCORE’
Bridging the Digital Divide for Rural Youth in Sri Lanka with New IT Center
By Rebecca Jayatissa Perched on a hill 13 kilometers away from Deniyaya town in Sri Lanka, MR/Ensalwatta Tamil Vidyalaya is a school where the challenges of accessing education are palpable. The narrow, rough pathway leading to the school barely accommodates vehicles, making the journey difficult. Students travel from distant areas to attend classes, many of…
Read MoreStrengthening Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Systems in Sri Lankan Schools
The COVID-19 pandemic and Sri Lanka’s economic crisis have placed already vulnerable and marginalized communities at further risk with challenges to livelihoods, food security and social protections. Increased stressors and the resulting strain on available support services and resources such as mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) have contributed to documented increases in sexual and…
Read MoreAddressing Sexual and Gender-based Violence through Local Partnerships and Governance Systems: Lessons from Sri Lanka
By Gigi Dupuy, Sr. Technical Advisor for Governance & Chioma Okafor, Sr. Technical Advisor for Local Capacity Strengthening, Global Communities Since July 2018, Global Communities has implemented the Social Cohesion and Reconciliation (SCORE) program in Sri Lanka, funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). One of the components of the program is…
Read MoreCatalyzing Success for Sri Lanka’s Women Entrepreneurs through SCORE
Over 50 women entrepreneurs from across Sri Lanka recently gathered for “SCORE Women in Action: Advancing Women Entrepreneurs Through Digital Technology.” The event was organized by Global Communities, in collaboration with the Office for National Unity and Reconciliation (ONUR), as part of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID)-funded Social Cohesion and Reconciliation (SCORE)…
Read MoreYoung Innovators in Sri Lanka Use Technology to Bridge Cultural and Ethnic Divides
By Jessica Ayala DreamSpace Academy, located in Sri Lanka’s Batticaloa District, and its co-founder, Kishoth Navaretnarajah, believe that the key to creating a future beyond historic cultural tensions and conflict lies with empowering youth through technology and innovation. “Facilitating peacebuilding is one of the pillars of DreamSpace,” says Navaretnarajah. “DreamSpace itself is … a great…
Read MoreExpanding Outreach and Support for the LGBTQI+ Community in Sri Lanka
By Aditi Sharma Transgender people in Sri Lanka frequently face social rejection, lack protection and have little to no representation in political parties due to the absence of anti-discriminatory legislation in the country. They are often excluded from accessing essential services and social benefits systems as well. “Some of our community members don’t have sustainable…
Read MoreSupporting Mobile Legal Clinics in Sri Lanka to Increase Access to Justice
In Sri Lanka, some segments of the population — particularly those directly affected by the prolonged armed conflict — face challenges due to a lack or loss of personal documentation pertaining to their identity, citizenship, civil status, property ownership and education. For these groups, such as internally displaced persons, the resettled and returnees, the lack…
Read MoreSupporting Economic Resilience through Increased Livelihoods in Sri Lanka
By Nagarajah Sathyaruban and Amila Jayamaha In Sri Lanka’s Mullaitivu district, a lack of job opportunities and career guidance avenues has contributed to a high youth unemployment ratio. For local youth, this has reinforced negative stereotyping, increased the risk of substance abuse and led to a sense of isolation and disillusionment, with ethnicity seen as a…
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