Case Studies

In the rural village of Naikkulama, situated in the Wadaththa Grama Niladhari Division of Anamaduwa in Puttalam District, 67-year-old D.M. Bandaramanika lives a quiet, solitary life caring for her ailing husband. Her husband suffers from a heart condition that prevents him from engaging in any heavy labor, and with their four adult children married and living away, Bandaramanika bears the dual burden of managing household life and earning a living in her old age. Although the family owns seven acres of paddy land and 2.5 acres of upland, these plots remain virtually barren due to frequent crop raids by wild elephants and recurrent flash flooding, including a severe flood in November 2023 that entirely destroyed her paddy crops. Bandaramanika managed to earn only a marginal income by selling leftover paddy harvest to cover essential household needs and her husband's monthly medical expenses, which amount to nearly Rs. 15,000.

The economic collapse of Sri Lanka starting in 2021 severely impacted millions of vulnerable households, pushing subsistence farmers like Bandaramanika into extreme poverty. As food prices skyrocketed and acute shortages emerged nationwide, the costs of vital agricultural inputs—including synthetic fertilizers, quality seeds, agrochemicals, and fuel—surged by three to four times, eroding the purchasing power of smallholder farmers. For Bandaramanika, small-scale cultivation had previously felt out of reach. During the COVID-19 pandemic, her attempts to grow vegetables ended in failure as crops were completely destroyed by pests and diseases, a setback she attributes to her lack of proper technical knowledge in pest management. Without effective pest control, physical protection against wild animals, or the financial means to purchase expensive chemical inputs, maintaining household food security seemed impossible.

A turning point arrived in April 2024 when Bandaramanika was selected by a local Grama Niladhari-level committee to participate in a home gardening initiative organized by Chrysalis and funded by Buddhist Global Relief. As part of the program, she attended a specialized home gardening training course delivered in her village by the Department of Agriculture. The training equipped her with practical skills in garden design, soil preparation, organic fertilizer and pesticide production, nursery care, and eco-friendly pest and disease control. On May 15, 2024, she received a comprehensive home gardening input kit containing live plants—such as chili, capsicum, tomato, eggplant, cabbage, and drumstick—alongside various seed packs, 25 kg of compost, 5 kg of half-burned paddy husk, 25 UV-treated planting bags, gardening tools, and eco-friendly pest management devices like pheromone traps and yellow sticky boards.

During the last week of May, Bandaramanika established her backyard garden, using locally available materials to construct a secure perimeter fence to keep out wild animals. Demonstrating strong initiative, she expanded her plot beyond the provided kit by purchasing additional crops, including beetroot, cabbage, bell peppers, extra chili varieties, and spinach. Applying her new knowledge, she achieved exceptional agricultural yields within a short period, harvesting her first bed of radishes within just one month. In total, she harvested and sold 187 kg of fresh vegetables, generating over Rs. 20,000 ($68 USD) in direct commercial income while saving approximately Rs. 8,000 per month on market grocery purchases. Demonstrating community solidarity, she also gifted 50 kg of fresh vegetables—valued at Rs. 5,300—to 12 neighboring and relative families free of charge.

Reflecting on her journey, Bandaramanika noted that the training was deeply useful, helping her master covered fencing, organic application, and pest control that previously ruined her crops. She emphasized that proper home gardening allows her family to consume chemical-free produce, provides healthy physical exercise and mental engagement in her old age, increases self-reliance without depending on financial support from her children, and strengthens relationships with her neighbors. Her financial metrics demonstrate an extraordinary return on investment ratio of 6.53 (excluding labor), turning an initial input cost of Rs. 7,242 into a total economic value of Rs. 47,300 across direct sales, food savings, gifted produce, and anticipated upcoming harvests. Looking ahead to the next rainy season, she has already harvested and stored seeds from her ripened crop pods while planning to integrate hybrid seeds to further boost future yields.

Bandaramanika’s success proves that there are no gardening mistakes, only knowledge and skills. When physical inputs are combined with structured technical training, elderly subsistence farmers can completely bypass expensive commercial chemicals through organic soil management and eco-friendly pest control. For elderly women navigating the double burden of caregiving and economic survival in Sri Lanka's Dry Zone, targeted home gardening interventions provide a path to dignified self-reliance. Bandaramanika’s journey shows how a small investment in tools, seeds, and knowledge can yield a return nearly seven times its original cost, proving that technical knowledge can overcome severe economic and environmental adversity.

Sureka Madushani, a 39-year-old single mother of two, has faced numerous challenges in her journey to achieving independence and success. Separated from her husband and now living in Mundel, her passion for sewing proved to be a way to support her family and rebuild her life.

After completing her studies, Sureka worked in a garment factory. She married with a plan to go abroad with his husband – they dreamed they could save enough money to build a home together. Unfortunately her husband was unable to secure a visa. Sureka seized the opportunity to go to Jordan on a three-year contract, with her sister-in-law.

Life in the garment factory in Jordan proved to be extremely challenging for Sureka. The working conditions were harsh, and the promised salary was not paid, leading to significant financial strain. Sureka worked long hours under physically demanding circumstances, often in an unsafe environment. Meals were rationed, and she was allowed very few personal items, which drastically affected her health and morale.

Adding to her struggles, Sureka had to manage the responsibility of caring for her sister-in-law, who fell ill frequently. This added emotional and financial burden made it difficult for her to focus on her work. When her sister-in-law was allowed to return to Sri Lanka, Sureka faced further hardship, as she had to cover the costs associated with her sister-in-law's return, which drained her already limited resources. The psychological toll of isolation, combined with the physical exhaustion and stress of the environment, made her time in Jordan a period of deep struggle and uncertainty.

Returning to Sri Lanka after three years, Sureka faced a devastating personal blow: all the money she had diligently sent home to her husband was gone, and he had left her for another woman. With no savings and her dreams shattered, she struggled to find her footing again, once more in a garment factory. During this vulnerable period, she had an affair with a man who offered her support during this difficult time, resulting in another pregnancy.  He pressured her to terminate this pregnancy, but Sureka refused, choosing to embrace motherhood despite the immense challenges she faced. 

Needing to make ends meet, Sureka chose to invest in her passion for sewing. Taking classes under a renowned fashion designer in Puttalam, she learned essential skills and techniques that she could apply in her business. Eventually, she joined a local garment factory, where she saved diligently and purchased a sewing machine and an over-lock machine, laying the foundation for her entrepreneurial venture.

Sureka 's business saw a transformative change when she received a cash grant of 20,000 rupees from Chrysalis. This support enabled her to buy essential sewing accessories in bulk from the city, a practice she had previously deemed unattainable. "I always bought zippers, thread, buttons, and elastic from the village retail shop," Sureka explained. "I didn’t have the capital to buy in bulk

from the city. I didn't even want to think about how much more expensive it was, as there was simply no other option."

Before receiving the Buddhist Global Relief (BGR) multipurpose cash grant, Sureka spent 9,000 rupees each month on zippers, buying them at 30 rupees a piece from the local village shop. The grant allowed her to purchase zippers from the city for only 12 rupees each, significantly reducing her monthly zipper expenses to 3,600 rupees and generating a profit of 5,400 rupees. Furthermore, she realized savings of 2,000 rupees on gold zippers, 2,000 rupees on 30 embroidery yards purchased from the city, and 4,300 rupees on button packets, elastics, and eyelets. She also saved approximately 8,000 rupees on threads and 1,600 rupees on clothes. Sureka's total direct profit increased to approximately 24,000 rupees per month due to the benefits of bulk purchasing.

The impact of the funding injection by Buddhist Global Relief (BGR) has been profound. “When all hope was gone and I was highly demotivated after the betrayal and hardship I’d endured, this project gave me much more than just motivation and confidence to achieve what I have so far," she gratefully acknowledged. "I always wanted to buy all the little things I need to sew from the village shop like zippers, gold zippers, balls of thread, buttons, elastic eyelets, smoke threads, etc. but I never had a lot of money to spare," she recounts.

 Now operating her sewing business from her parent's home, she is saving every cent possible to achieve her goal. For the past six years, she has been steadily building her house, reinvesting all profits from her sewing business into the construction. With her parents helping out to cover other expenses, Sureka can finally pursue her dream.

Sureka believes that her skills and business will continue to grow, allowing her to move into her new house soon and further enhance her operations. While grateful for her family's support, she is determined to achieve complete independence through her business.

Sureka Madushani’s journey is a compelling example of how strategic support, combined with personal determination, can lead to transformative outcomes. Her ability to overcome adversity, including financial loss and personal betrayal, coupled with the timely assistance from Chrysalis, has not only improved her financial stability but also reignited her entrepreneurial spirit. This story highlights the effectiveness of targeted financial support in empowering women and fostering sustainable economic growth in local communities. It showcases how one well-placed grant can double in value in a single year, exemplifying the project's resounding success, and demonstrating the profound impact of empowering women to rebuild their lives after facing immense challenges.