Are human rights and business compatible? Facing shrinking donor funds, Sri Lankan rights defenders are pivoting to social entrepreneurship to sustain their mission. Discover how ” VRIDDHI” is transforming aid-dependent NGOs into resilient, community-led enterprises protecting both civil liberties and livelihoods. Read about our journey from activists to entrepreneurs.
For decades, the rhythm of civil society in Sri Lanka has been dictated by the project cycle. We identify a problem, we write a proposal, we secure funds, and we do the work. But what happens when the music stops?
At the Right to Life Human Rights Centre (R2L), and across our network of Human Rights First Aid Centres (HRFACs), we recently faced a silence that was deafening. The gradual decline of foreign funding for human rights protection specifically the termination of key support streams like those from USAID was not just a budget line issue. It was an existential threat.
For us, “sustainability” isn’t a buzzword; it is a question of survival for the torture survivor seeking legal aid in Badulla, or the marginalized family seeking redress in Anuradhapura. We realized that if we continued to rely solely on the traditional donor model in a shrinking civic space, we were building our house on shifting sands.
We needed a paradigm shift. We needed to stop asking, “Who will fund us?” and start asking, “How can we fund ourselves?”
The Pivot: From Activists to Entrepreneurs
This was the genesis of our journey toward Social Entrepreneurship. Admittedly, it was an uncomfortable transition at first. For many of us in the NGO sector, the language of “business” profit margins, value chains, scaling feels foreign, perhaps even contradictory to our mission of selfless service.
However, as R2L began to study the concept deeper, we realized that Social Entrepreneurship is not about profit over people; it is about profit for people. It offers a hybrid model where commercial strategies are used to maximize improvements in human and environmental well-being.
But we couldn’t design this from a desk in Colombo. We turned to our greatest asset: the HRFAC network.
Wisdom from the Grassroots
When we opened the floor to the coordinators of the Human Rights First Aid Centers, we expected hesitation. Instead, we found innovation.
It turned out that while we were worrying about funding at the national level, our grassroots defenders were already engaging with the economic realities of their communities. They were working with micro-entrepreneurs, small-scale farmers, and women-led households who were fighting not just for civil rights, but for economic survival.
The HRFACs brought forward a wealth of creative ideas. They highlighted that the communities we defend are also producers of indigenous crafts, traditional foods, and ethical products. They showed us that the fight for human rights and the fight for economic rights are not separate battles. They are two sides of the same coin.
Enter ” VRIDDHI”: A Model for Resilience
This consultative process gave birth to the ‘Sustaining Civic Resilience: Social Entrepreneurship for Human Rights First Aid Centers in Sri Lanka’ project, an initiative now supported by UNOPS. It is our bold experiment in sustaining civic resilience.
Through this project, we are transforming the traditional HRFAC model. We are moving toward a structure where these centers serve as Human Rights and Social Entrepreneurship Development Centers (HRSEDCs). The vision is simple yet revolutionary:
- Capacity Building: We are training our human rights defenders in business ideation, prototyping, and management.
- Market Access: We are creating a centralized ethical retail and exhibition hub Sandhara at our Colombo office to connect rural producers with urban consumers.
- Reinvestment: The income generated from these social enterprises will flow back into the organization, funding the essential work of legal aid, documentation, and victim support.
We are at the start of a steep learning curve. We know that running a business requires a different discipline than running a campaign. There will be risks, market fluctuations, and failures. But the risk of doing nothing of waiting for the next grant while our centers close down is far greater.
This is not just a business plan. It is our new resistance.