Executive Summary

This report lays out the public health initiatives delivered by the Lanka Jathika Sarvodaya Shramadana Sangamaya since the inception of the COVID-19 pandemic in Sri Lanka. Aligned by its renewed purpose, Sarvodaya launched a signature initiative coined as Suwodaya i.e., Awakening of Wellbeing particularly focusing on COVID-19 response initiatives. Sarvodaya has given meticulous consideration when launching Suwodaya considering the local realities of the communities they serve. The publication covers the period March 2020 to March 2021 qualifying it to be an annual report. However, the Suwodaya initiative will continue until Sri Lanka achieves satisfactory herd immunity levels and therefore Sarvodaya hopes to expand the programme in the months to come. Aiming at that long term goal, Sarvodaya has shaped Suwodaya to transform into a holistic wellbeing programme with much emphasis on COVID19 response.

The Introduction will illustrate the genesis of Suwodaya and how it was shaped. It will elaborate in detail the fivepronged approach to Suwodaya and the COVID reality in Sri Lanka at the time of writing. It will highlight the key thought level contributions made by Sarvodaya leaders at local and international levels. The rest of the report will lay out component wise, the work carried out under five key strategic area of Suwodaya.

The First component will illustrate how Sarvodaya responded to the pandemic facilitating internal organisational arrangements coined 'A COVID Ready Organisation'. Geared by the internal structuring, the Second component will illustrate how Sarvodaya launched their national response and the diverse practical and policy action initiated. Moreover, it will illustrate how alliances were built from the grassroots to the global level fulfilling Sarvodaya's Gramodaya to Vishvodaya mandates.

Such discussion and dialogue paved way for Sarvodaya to operationalise aid and relief distribution to the most marginalised and vulnerable communities. The Third component therefore highlights a range of selected activities to portrait the power of community in helping others by the mere act of giving also known as 'Dana'.

A full-blown crisis such as COVID19 demands holistic and practical solutions to the unprecedented events that unfold. In that regard, the Fourth component illustrates how Sarvodaya identified the long-term consequences of COVID and how they should help communities fortify their resilience at the village community level to bring about normalcy by successfully adopting the practices such as the 'new normal'. In lieu of that, Sarvodaya launched diverse awareness campaigns both onsite and off-site (virtual).

Socio-economic indicators predict that COVID effects are already felt by urban and rural communities. The Fih component would therefore illustrate how Sarvodaya utilises multi-track approaches innovating plausible solutions to face the forthcoming crisis of food security, social security, as well as economic crisis. Not only those, but they have also rolled out successful programmes promoting social cohesion, interfaith dialogue, child protection as well as micro-entrepreneurship projects to help young people be hopeful as well as to reach out to other small-scale entrepreneurs helping them to sustain.

This report will therefore feature selected project activities that fulfil the mandate of 'Suwodaya – the wellbeing of All', a Sarvodaya response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Sri Lanka.