This enormous, challenging, and successful project has been completed! Thousands of mangroves were planted, thousands of women got business training and microloans, and the crucial issue of mangrove conservation received worldwide attention. For more, check out our Sri Lanka summary.

More than 11,000 women and youth have completed livelihood training, after which they can receive microloans through the project. Because loans are repaid to local groups of women (Community Beneficiary Organizations), money stays in the community and furthers self-determination and economic development.

There are now 1,500 community beneficiary organizations (CBOs) throughout the country, which facilitate alternative job training for women and youth and organize mangrove protection and replanting. About 1200 acres have been replanted with more than 775,000 seedlings. The Sri Lankan navy continues to help with the rearing and planting efforts.

We’re excited to announce that this project won a 2018 Momentum for Change climate action award! Momentum for Change is a United Nations initiative, seeking innovative solutions to the challenges posed by a changing climate.

Our project, a collaboration with Sri Lankan NGO Sudeesa and the Sri Lankan government, was among four recipients of the award in the “Planetary Health” category. As part of the award, it was featured in a video narrated by Sir David Attenborough.

“These inspirational leaders, from communities, governments, businesses and organizations, come from all corners of the globe and all levels of society,” says United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres. “Their winning projects range from transformative financial investments to women-led solutions to protect people and the planet. Through their leadership and creativity, we see essential change.”

The Mannar training center officially opened on July 27, 2018.

You can see a video about the center here.

Members of Seacology’s staff and board of directors recently visited our project sites in Sri Lanka. The training center in Mannar funded by last year’s Global Resilience Partnership grant is almost complete and is scheduled to officially open later this year.

The project has been named a winner of the Global Resilience Partnership’s Water Window Challenge. We’re delighted that the project will receive an additional nearly $1 million to expand in the northern and eastern regions of Sri Lanka.

Seacology and Sudeesa celebrated World Mangrove Day by officially opening the Mangrove Museum. President Maithripala Sirisena was on hand for a ribbon-cutting as guests, including Seacology cofounder Dr. Paul Cox, Executive Director Duane Silverstein, Program Manager Karen Peterson, and several board members enjoyed the exhibits in the beautiful new building.

So far, 283 community-based organizations have been formed so that their members can receive sustainable livelihood training. Almost 500 women have attended three-day training programs on livelihoods and small business practices. Already, 194 women have created small business plans and received microloans, and 278 youths have attended two-day trainings.

During the devastating floods that hit Sri Lanka earlier this month, the Mundala nursery experienced some inundation. Fortunately, the damage was not extensive.

Construction of the Seacology-Sudeesa Mangrove Museum is progressing as scheduled. Contractors have begun installing the displays. The museum is scheduled to open at a ceremony on World Mangrove Day, July 26, 2016, with the President of Sri Lanka, Maithripala Sirisena, presiding. Seacology is planning a trip for interested supporters to attend the ceremony and to tour project sites.

Three mangrove nurseries, in Pambala, Kalipitiya, and Mundalama, are operational, and a total of 161,250 mangrove seedlings have been propagated. Over the next two years, this total will reach 500,000. The nurseries now employ 50 people for plant maintenance, propagation, and seed collection. The nursery in Pambala will also be used to teach job training participants how to propagate mangroves as part of reforestation efforts in their home districts.

Seacology Board member Peter Read generously offered to match donations to the project, bringing us within $60,000 of the project’s fundraising goal.

The president of Sri Lanka, Maithripala Sirisena, spoke and planted a mangrove seedling at Sudeesa’s headquarters in observation of World Wetlands Day.

The demarcation of Sri Lanka’s mangroves has been completed, with the nation’s Forest Department confirming Sri Lanka has about 37,000 acres of intact habitat and 9,600 of deforested area. Three large mangroves nurseries have been established and have already propagated more than 140,000 plants to replant these blighted areas, an effort that will be overseen by a coalition of the country’s top mangrove experts. Members of the Sri Lankan navy have conducted some replanting on 34 islands near Kalpitiya and Puttlam Lagoons. The mangrove museum at Pambala is under construction, with plans to open to the public on World Mangrove Day, July 26.

The community development aspect of the project has begun as well, with 92 of the 1,500 local organizations formed as of the end of 2015. Already, 1,892 women and youth have received job training, and 140 women have received microloans through the program.

We have now officially launched the project, and Executive Director Duane Silverstein signed a formal agreement with the leadership of Sudeesa and the Sri Lankan government.