LankaCorps in Sri Lanka Volunteering

Ongoing tensions between communities expose the fragility of Sri Lanka’s post-war landscape. In this context, the Foundation’s portfolio includes strengthening subnational governance to advance local democracy; enabling access to justice and building community security; facilitating post-trauma psychosocial support; supporting localized inter-ethnic peacebuilding efforts; and creating opportunities for ethnic groups to strengthen economic linkages. While Sri Lankans are eager to build on the good governance agenda that ushered in the coalition government in 2015, they are also concerned about security and peace, the cost of living, securing safe and dignified employment, and addressing community security issues related to gender-based violence and substance abuse.

LankaCorps is a new and unique volunteer program for young North American professionals of Sri Lankan heritage who want to contribute to this dynamic, multi-ethnic nation. Volunteers are placed with host organizations identified by The Asia Foundation in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. These individual affiliations enable volunteers to embed themselves in day to day life in Sri Lanka, interact with local colleagues in their workplace, travel and experience the country and engage with its people on their own terms. Their participation in local social, economic and cultural development initiatives through their host organizations and with a cohort of other fellows enables them to gain a deeper understanding of contemporary Sri Lanka while discovering themselves.