This humanitarian organization for women’s rights works to improve the position of women in Sri Lankan society, which is currently shaped by traditional culture, colonial history, and post-independence politics.
This program aims to provide underprivileged rural women in Sri Lanka with English skills and life knowledge to boost their confidence, improve their social interactions, and increase their job opportunities. It addresses a critical need for their personal and professional development.
Unfortunately, the traditional family model in Sri Lanka rarely benefits women, especially in rural areas. A woman’s traditional family responsibilities, as a mother or wife, limit their employment choices, as does their family and society’s attitude towards certain types of jobs.
In Sri Lanka, most women can read and speak Sinhala and/or Tamil. In the 1950s, education became free, and the language of instruction shifted from English to local languages. As a result, women gained access to education because parents no longer had to choose whether to invest in their sons’ or daughters’ education. Female enrollment rates increased rapidly, and gender disparity significantly decreased since the 1960s. Despite this, dropout rates remain very high among girls, especially those from underprivileged neighborhoods and remote villages, particularly in rural Muslim communities.
In 1983, Sri Lanka’s civil war brought major upheaval and social trauma. Social sector spending declined, leading to deteriorated public health and education. Many women were marginalized in precarious situations and unpaid work. Studies have shown that the condition of women in rural areas has worsened over the past 30 years. Women were pushed into unemployment and unskilled jobs. The 2004 tsunami also contributed to the decline of Sri Lanka’s job market and the quality of life for women and their families.
Women’s empowerment comes in many forms. Our humanitarian association for women’s rights in Sri Lanka has chosen “English language education” as a tool to build women’s confidence and prepare them for working life. The women in the project come from disadvantaged backgrounds, particularly from Muslim communities, which suffered the most during this recent turbulent period. Most of them were married at a young age to start a family at the expense of the careers they dreamed of. Many are eager to learn English to foster their personal development, build self-esteem, and gain employable skills. For many, engaging with our volunteers is a welcome break from their daily routine.
From Monday to Friday, your role will be to:
Volunteers may ask our team for help with lesson planning and delivery. However, they will be responsible for organizing their own classes.
Sessions will be held in our teaching center, equipped with tables, chairs, whiteboards, books, and other educational resources.
During English lessons, you can:
Ideally, we prefer candidates with a background in teaching for this project. However, anyone willing to help and with a good command of English can be trained by our team.
Additionally, participants may take part in extra teaching sessions in the morning if they wish (depending on availability). This includes kindergarten classes or lessons for Buddhist monks. The coordinator of this humanitarian association for women’s rights will discuss these opportunities with volunteers during the introduction phase.
In addition to your project, those interested may choose to go on a one-week tour to explore the best of Sri Lanka’s beauty and diversity. From Galle to Sigiriya, through Kandy and Ella, you’ll discover the southern, central, and western regions of this stunning tropical island.
Please contact us for departure dates.
Tour price: 810 euros.
Duration during the week | Budget total mission |
|---|---|
2 weeks | 1095 € |
3 weeks | 1295 € |
4 weeks | 1495 € |
5 weeks | 1695 € |
6 weeks | 1895 € |
7 weeks | 2095 € |
8 weeks | 2345 € |
9 weeks | 2595 € |
10 weeks | 2845 € |
11 weeks | 3095 € |
12 weeks | 3345 € |
Located on a peaceful hill in the Unawatuna neighborhood (15 minutes by car from the center of Galle), the volunteer house can accommodate a maximum of 48 people. It is spread across three floors with 11 shared rooms, accommodating 4 to 6 individuals per room. When the main house reaches its maximum capacity, additional annexes within a 20km radius are provided for volunteers. Shuttle services are available in the morning and evening for participants to have their meals at the main house and enjoy the pool and garden during their free time.
For couples, families, or individuals seeking privacy, individual, double, and family rooms are available at an additional cost. In case of high demand, it is possible that the house displays complete. In this case, you will stay in the Guesthouse located less than 100m from the house. You will continue to eat all your meals in the main volunteer house and have full access to all its facilities.
A traditional dress code must be followed during the project. Knees and shoulders should be covered, as well as tattoos. It is mandatory to wear the provided blue cotton tunic during the classes. The rest of the clothing can be casual and comfortable.
– Program exclusively for women
– Intermediate level of English (understanding instructions, being able to communicate)
– Copy of passport
