Chrysalis

Community Development Forums (CDF) have played a crucial role in bringing about a paradigm shift in Sri Lankan tea estates.   According to Ken Murray, the General Manager of NayabeddaEstate until November 2021, "When I first started working here, there was a patriarchal, caste-dominant society, where the low castes were badly treated. Gradually, with time, the caste system started to fade away, yet the patriarchy and male dominance prevailed. With the inception of the CDF, women have slowly come out of the “shadows” in which they had been stuck for so long. Women have started to become responsible for family decisions, financial decisions, and leadership roles.“   The CDFs have laid the foundation for a more inclusive and empowered estate community, where women are increasingly taking the lead in shaping their futures.   Read our detailed Case Studies: https://lnkd.in/gP3e-5hf   #Chrysalis #SriLanka #AnythingIsPossible #CommunityDevelopmentForums #CommunityLedSolutions #EmpoweringCommunities #InclusiveDevelopment  

After years, clean drinking water is now a reality for 517 families in Nasivantheevu and 100 more in Mylankarachi. Chrysalis was able to facilitate this outcome through a strong partnership with UNDP, BMZ, East Lanka Polysack (Pvt) Ltd, local authorities, and the people of Nasivantheevu.   Today, families, schools, and community spaces have access to safe water. Moreover, this project also has brought unity across Tamil, Sinhala, and Muslim communities in the surrounding area. We are happy to celebrate this achievement, which was made possible by community leadership, holistic solutions and commitment by all stakeholders!

Estate households typically allocate over half of their monthly income, already below national averages, to food expenses, limiting their capacity for savings or investment. Moreover, poor financial literacy has historically prevented estate communities from understanding the consequences of spending, saving, and credit decisions. After undergoing financial training through the Community Development Forum (CDF), 70% of participants from one estate reported cutting unnecessary expenses. The training prompted Fathima Sakara to evaluate her household expenses and learn essential skills such as financial document filing, which proved helpful when the motorbike leasing company claimed non-payment. "The CDF has become a place for learning life skills; as a woman in the plantations, we are little educated and vulnerable; some people take advantage of our innocence and vulnerability. I thank the CDF for empowering us to be bold in coping with such situations." #Chrysalis #SriLanka #AnythingIsPossible #CommunityDevelopmentForums #CommunityLedSolutions #EmpoweringCommunities #InclusiveDevelopment

To combat the growing challenges of climate change, the project 'Multi-actor partnership for pro-poor and gender-equitable climate risk financing in the context of the IGP’s 2025 vision (Insuresilience II)' is a groundbreaking initiative aimed at empowering Sri Lanka’s small and medium enterprises (SMEs). It focuses on creating climate disaster risk finance and insurance (CDRFI) solutions to shield SMEs from climate-related losses.  This innovative program will provide 250 SMEs in the Uva and Central provinces with access to tools that enhance resilience to climate impacts. By working with local and global partners, Chrysalis aims to develop gender-responsive, pro-poor financial products to help SMEs thrive amid an evolving climate landscape.  The Insuresilience II project is funded by the German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and implemented by a consortium of civil society organisations in several countries, with CARE Germany leading the consortium. In Sri Lanka, Chrysalis leads this initiative. Together, this initiative marks a critical step towards a greener, safer future for all.  #Chrysalis #SriLanka #ClimateAction #SMEs #Sustainability #ClimateJustice #ClimateResilience #SriLanka

Job Opening! Please share with someone who would fit this role. For more information, check this out: https://lnkd.in/g9KhMFcS #Chrysalis #SriLanka #LKA #JobOpening #WeAreHiring #JoinOurTeam

Smart farming techniques address the challenges of climate change, such as erratic rainfall, water scarcity, and rising temperatures. The 'Building Resilience' project distributed 13,230 parachute trays to promote climate-smart agriculture techniques and climate resilience in Puttalam. These trays were provided to 13 farmer organisations across six villages: Diwulwewa, Siyambalagasehana, Kiula, Wadaththa, Mohoriya, and Kakupandiyawa to broadcast seedlings. Parachute trays are a key tool in modern farming, particularly in paddy cultivation, where they help raise seedlings more efficiently. This method saves time, reduces the labour required for transplantation, and helps conserve water—an increasingly scarce resource in these climate-affected regions. The farmers involved in the project have undergone extensive capacity-building sessions on climate-smart agriculture techniques, such as crop management, soil management, and water management. A.H.M. Senevirathna, Secretary of Mahawewa Farmer Organisation said, "Due to the increased rainfall, the growth of our paddy often contradicts with the rising water levels. If the paddy isn’t tall enough to stay above the flood level, it gets destroyed, especially during the October to December season. By using parachute trays for seedlings, the growth height will exceed the flood levels during the time of November, helping us to increase the crops’ flood resistance and drought tolerance level from being destroyed by floods. We believe this will be an important solution for us." The Building Resilience project is funded by the Foreign Commonwealth Development Office in the UK, and implemented by IWMI, CEPA and Chrysalis. #Chrysalis #SriLanka #BuildingResilience #SmartFarming #ClimateSmartAgriculture #SustainableFarming #ClimateResilience #DroughtResilience #FarmerEmpowerment #SustainableDevelopment #ClimateChange #Agriculture

Predominantly done by women, tea plucking is a physically demanding task. Many tea fields in Sri Lanka lacked proper toilet facilities, forcing women to either relieve themselves in the fields or wait until they returned home. Sometimes, they go home by noon or miss work, especially during menstruation, which leads to lost wages and more financial issues. Kannikadevi, the Vice President of her estate Community Development Forums (CDFs) and a tea plucker with 18 years of experience, shares, “If a woman goes home to use the toilet, she hardly comes back to work even [though] she knows that she loses half a day’s pay.  This is because of the tiresome back-and-forth walk and the non-availability of a latrine and water in the working area. After the construction of these field toilets, we feel that we are being treated with the respect and dignity that we had been aspiring for.” Women represented in leadership positions in the CDF rose to 58%, from the typical 9-10% in CBOs, and enabled them to take on leadership eagerly. Thereby, she advocated for the construction of toilets, a feat made possible by including women in decision-making roles within the community. More importantly, they also show their communities that women are competent and influential leaders when given a platform to drive change. Since the establishment of CDFs, 462 issues have been raised, with 81% resolved amicably between 2018-2023. Read more about it in our case study. Coming soon. #Chrysalis #SriLanka #AnythingIsPossible #CommunityDevelopmentForums #CommunityLedSolutions #EmpoweringCommunities #InclusiveDevelopment

In 2016, only 43% of the estate population had access to safe drinking water, much lower than the national average of 90%. Existing facilities are dilapidated, forcing reliance on public water points, streams, or open wells, particularly during dry periods. This situation disproportionately affects women and girls, who may spend several hours daily collecting water, impacting their ability to work and attend school. The Community Development Forums (CDFs) completed 14 water projects in 7 estates from 2019 to 2023, benefiting 974 households. An estimated Rs. 29,000 is saved monthly per family, which would have been otherwise spent on transporting water, bottled water, or lost income. #Chrysalis #SriLanka #AnythingIsPossible #CommunityDevelopmentForums #CommunityLedSolutions #EmpoweringCommunities #InclusiveDevelopment

Accessing credit is challenging for estate communities due to low incomes, lack of collateral, and gender norms. Women face additional barriers, as assets are often not owned by them and other social norms. Rojana Rajani, the owner of Salon Rojana, utilised her estate's CDF financial literacy training and a revolving loan to overcome pandemic-related challenges and rising costs. With the rental space in the CDF-run Economic Development Centre, she increased her earning capacity from Rs 15,000 to Rs 30,000. "I am blessed with a place near my home now. If not for this place, I would have spent a minimum of Rs. 300 daily to travel to Bandarawela. I was known only in my division earlier. Now, I get more customers from my estate and the surrounding areas. I started a Facebook page to popularise my business and also receive bookings for weddings from Colombo. I am happy that now I am independent and can financially assist my family.“ #Chrysalis #SriLanka #AnythingIsPossible #CommunityDevelopmentForums #CommunityLedSolutions #EmpoweringCommunities #InclusiveDevelopment

Job Opening! Please share with someone who would fit this role. For more information, check this out: https://lnkd.in/g9KhMFcS #Chrysalis #SriLanka #LKA #JobOpening #WeAreHiring #JoinOurTeam