PROJECT-SUPPORT SRI LANKA

Sambol Foundation, Zurich, Switzerland

Country / Place

Sri Lanka / Matara

Sri Lanka is an island nation in the Indian Ocean, south of India, known for its diverse culture, impressive landscapes and historical sites. It is world famous for its tea plantations and rich biodiversity. The capital Colombo is the economic and cultural centre of the country and has a population of around 640'000.  

Matara is the southernmost city in the country and is about 160 kilometres away from Colombo. The Nilwala River flows through the centre of the city and then into the Indian Ocean.

General

The Sambol Foundation was founded in 2018 by the two Swiss nationals Devika and Luca Salomon. Devika was born in Sri Lanka in 1985 and adopted by a family in Switzerland as a baby. She visited her homeland for the first time at the age of six and in the years and visits that followed, she became aware of the patriarchal structures and the lack of shelters for women affected by violence and their children. She decided to do something about it.  

The vision of the Sambol Foundation is to be the leading organisation that enables women and children in Sri Lanka to have a safe and self-determined future. It campaigns for women's rights and equality and is a contact point for women and children affected by domestic violence.

Beneficiaries

Gender equality in Sri Lanka is still underdeveloped and many women are unaware of their rights. The country is characterised by hierarchical cultural structures and a high unemployment rate among women. The number of affected women who experience physical, sexual, emotional and/or economic violence is unfortunately high.

The Sambol Foundation has been running a women's shelter in Matara, in the south of Sri Lanka, since 2019. Women and children are taken in and the foundation offers the beneficiaries protection and housing. In addition, therapeutic and legal counselling, an accredited school/kindergarten, a playground, specific workshops, and other extra-occupational offers are the cornerstones for helping women and children lead a self-determined life.

Since its establishment, the foundation has already supported over 240 women and/or their children. The women's refuge is the only place in the area where women seeking help and their children are taken in together and not separated. The 16-strong local team collaborates closely with the relevant police stations, the National Child Protection Authority and the Sri Lankan Ministry of Women and Children's Affairs on a case-by-case basis.

Project-support

Project: New Safe-Village building 2024/2025

As a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, cases of domestic violence have increased. Due to the high level of professionalism and the continuous improvement of procedures for processing referred cases, more and more women and children are being referred to the Sambol Foundation by the authorities. Due to the high demand and because the existing shelter is at capacity, the foundation has bought land in the south of Sri Lanka with the help of donations. The first safe village in the country is now being built here to accommodate even more women and children (up to 20 residents at a time).

The Sambol Safe-Village was designed by an architect from Switzerland and is now being realised step by step. The safe village includes the main house with living quarters for the women and children, as well as annexes that provide space for the accredited school, rooms for workshops, courses, therapeutic treatments, and the staff house for the employees. The current shelter will continue to operate throughout the construction period. Completion of the Safe-Village is planned for the end of 2025.