Palmera
Creating sustainable livelihoods and social businesses in vulnerable communities in war-torn Sri Lanka.
As well as providing employment and income, these livelihoods provided by Palmera also prevent malnutrition, enable schooling and make critical contributions to clean water, sanitation, safety and freedom of choice.
2014 Pitch
Funds raised: $37,401
Palmera pitched at TFN Sydney on 12 March 2014 to raise money to fund the development of a communal poultry farm for vulnerable families in Theravil, Sri Lanka and surrounding region. They secured $37,401 (including $18,600 in matched funding from the Macquarie Group Foundation) with an additional $23,000 in leveraged funding received post-event.
The impact...
Within a year, Palmera transformed from a volunteer based entity to an employer with five part time staff. Having achieved government accreditation, this international aid organization introduced a three year action research project which will support its mission and provide an evidence base for work undertaken.
The funding has been used to support the development of a communal poultry farm in Theravil, Sri Lanka. Palmera is working with community leaders and local partners to develop work and income opportunities for vulnerable families in the region - supplying livestock, infrastructure and veterinarian support for the farm while offering business and technical support to participants in the project. Thirty-five members of the project have been registered with local government as a Community Based Organisation. An important source of employment prospects for local women, the project has coincided with renewed social cohesion and a greater sense of unity and accountability about the way that the community views its future.
Palmera is using funding and network capability achieved through TFN to develop a financial and social capital base on which those displaced by civil war can re-establish sustainable livelihoods. The organization is focused on maintaining its capacity to deliver value from the ground up while redeveloping its website facilities as a means to amplify future funding opportunities while it continues to scale.
Read their Impact Report
Learn more about Palmera.
Supporting Sustainable Development Goals:
