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Sarvodaya Movement, Sri LankaSarvodaya Movement, Sri Lanka
Sarvodaya Movement, Sri Lanka
Sarvodaya was founded in 1958, gathering volunteers to come together and build a road in an impoverished rural village of Sri Lanka. Today, the Sarvodaya Shramadana Movement is Sri Lanka’s most broadly embedded community-based development organization network. Sarvodaya operates through a network of 25 district centers and over 3,000 legally independent village societies in districts across the country.
The Sarvodaya Movement seeks a no-poverty, no-affluence society in Sri Lanka through community-based efforts and volunteerism. Rooted in ancient Sri Lankan traditions, Sarvodaya’s philosophy is based on the teachings of Buddhism and celebrates the involvement Sri Lanka’s religious leaders including bikkus (local monks), who play an active role in village life. However, we also take pride in sharing our mission with all who find value in the work of our organization.
Dr. Vinya Ariyaratne
Sarvodaya Shramadana Movement, Sri Lanka
President
“In a world which is threatened by climate change, wars and poverty, an integrated and holistic approach built on a strong spiritual foundation is required to ensure child well-being.”
Dr. Vinya Ariyaratne is the President of Sarvodaya Shramadana Movement of Sri Lanka. Sarvodaya is Sri Lanka’s largest non-governmental grass roots development organization. Dr. Ariyaratne is a Medical Doctor and a Specialist in Community Medicine. Dr. Ariyaratne also serves at the Director General of the Sarvodaya Institute of Higher Learning (SIHL). He has extensive experience in community health, development, disaster management and peace building.
Working both at the grassroots level and at policy level, Dr. Ariyaratne has promoted child well-being and protection. Dr. Ariyaratne obtained Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) degree from the De La Salle University in the Philippines, and Master of Public Health (M.P.H.) degree from the Johns Hopkins University U.S.A., Master of Science M.Sc., and Doctor of Medicine (MD) in Community Medicine from University of Colombo, Sri Lanka. He was a Visiting Fellow at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, U.K. and a Chevening Fellow at the Nuffield Institute of the Faculty of Medicine and Health of the University of Leeds.
In 2014, Dr. Ariyaratne received the Social Entrepreneur of the Year Award from the Schwab Foundation/ World Economic Forum.
