with all other activities reliant on the strength of networks and relationships built across the community. Enabling all people to get involved in working for the benefit of their village, neighborhood, or even refugee camp, is the most sustainable and enriching investment enabling them to overcome poverty.

The projects HOPE Sri Lanka supports draw people together in cooperative efforts for common benefit, enabling communities to take responsibility for their own development in a sustainable way. Priority is given to projects in which communities identify existing strengths and problems, aspirations and resources; define their own goals and strategies; plan, implement and manage project activities; and contribute to the costs involved (including contributions in kind).

HOPE Sri Lanka is committed to the inclusion and representation of those who are vulnerable and those who are affected by the intersecting drivers of marginalization and exclusion, including but not restricted to race, religion, ethnicity, indigeneity, disability, age, displacement, caste, gender, gender identity, sexuality, sexual orientation, poverty, class, socio-economic status and political persuasion.

Community building means strong systems for cooperation. Self-help groups, whereby members gather regularly to learn, save money, and begin group activities, are often the foundation for connecting people; for some women this is the only time they leave their homes and find the support friends and neighbors. Training local people, including women, to take leadership positions on local councils builds the capacity of locals to responsibly manage their own development and monitor progress. Engaging communities with government systems can also enable them to campaign for their rights and access their citizens’ entitlements.