Click to Give: The Future of Digital Fundraising in Sri Lanka

The Suwaseriya Foundation, which hosts the 1990 free emergency ambulance service, recently raised LKR 1.2 million in donations through Karuna.lk, Sri Lanka’s first online fundraising platform. This milestone reflects the growing trend of online fundraising and digital rallying for social welfare delivery in Sri Lanka. With increased exposure to digital space comes increased risks to cyber security. In addition, social delivery organisations (SDOs) increasingly rely on digital tools to efficiently deliver vital social needs, manage their activities productively and increase organizational transparency. This article explores the potential, current status, and challenges faced by SDOs in using digital technology, drawing evidence from the Doing Good Index (DGI) Survey 2024 by the Institute of Policy Studies of Sri Lanka (IPS) and the Centre for Asian Philanthropy and Society (CAPS).

Threads of Resilience: Is Sri Lanka’s Apparel Sector Prepared to Face Pathogen X?

The World Health Organization (WHO) is expressing concerns about the global community’s readiness for pathogen X, a highly contagious pathogen that could emerge in the future. Scientists predict a higher likelihood of its origin in tropical regions, placing Sri Lanka at considerable risk.

The COVID-19 pandemic severely impacted the livelihoods of millions of workers across Sri Lanka. The manufacturing sector, where workers are in very close proximity to one another, faced more challenging conditions than other sectors such as agriculture. Given the significance of the apparel industry in the manufacturing base and as a source of employment in Sri Lanka, this blog assesses the pandemic’s impact on female apparel workers and guide future policies to minismise the cost of similar episodes.