The Tekanda Foundation’s mission to share skills within the local community
Nestled amidst the lush landscapes of Sri Lanka's southern coast, The Tekanda Foundation offers a meaningful example of community-driven development and empowerment.
Located in the village of Kathaluwa, moments from the Indian Ocean on Sri Lanka’s beautiful south coast, and a 2-hour drive from Colombo International Airport, The Tekanda Foundation was established in 2023 by Richard and Charlie Pembroke, owners of the nearby Tekanda Lodge.
Born from a desire to uplift rural communities through practical education and vocational training, at the heart of the Foundation is its empowerment centre, known as Gamata Athak, which translates to ‘a hand to the village’. Run in collaboration with the Sri Lankan charity Foundation of Goodness, who have created and run numerous empowerment centres across Sri Lanka in the last 20 years, this centre provides a welcoming and productive space for learning.
Children and women from nearby villages attend a variety of programmes designed to broaden their knowledge and build practical skills, helping to bridge the rural-urban skills divide by providing a range of development opportunities which are currently inaccessible for rural communities. These range from English language and ICT training to maths, science, art, and even dress-making and cookery classes. Additionally, one of the more unique offerings is a Girls Cricket Academy, encouraging teamwork and confidence through sport.
The Foundation also regularly opens its doors to a range of travellers who want to contribute to Sri Lankan life in a much more hands-on way. Volunteers can assist local instructors with lessons, sports and creative workshops, playing a valuable role in daily activities while gaining a deeper understanding of the local culture.
Updates & new initiatives from The Tekanda Foundation
The Girls Cricket Academy
What started just two years ago with a few sessions at the local school in Kathaluwa has grown into a full-scale programme across some of the biggest schools on Sri Lanka’s south coast.
Now running weekly sessions in Habaraduwa, Kathaluwa, two schools in Ahangama, and the largest school in Weligama, that adds up to over 125 girls picking up a bat each week, and some are so keen they come to the centre two or three times a week to train even more. The result? Their progress has been incredible, with the Cricket Academy’s reach now stretching across nearly 50 kilometres, from Galle to Weligama.
Earlier in the year, the team played against the touring team from St Edward’s in Oxford, who were semi-finalists in last year’s UK National Schools Cup. The team came within 16 runs of chasing down their score, and the momentum at the Cricket academy keeps building, with six of the players now training with the Galle District U19s, and two new coaches on board, Vihara and Hiru, both of which are part of the Sri Lanka Women’s Development Squad.
The Girls Cricket Academy
The Elders Care Programme
Working with the local community, the new Elders Care programme sees older people from nearby communities meet at Gamata Athak for a range of activities. While drinks and chatting to others are a central focus and great for wellbeing, the fortnightly session also includes stretching class, nutrition updates, and personal care assistance.
The Annual Cultural Fair
Initially created to raise awareness of the foundation’s initiatives throughout the tourism industry, this cultural festival at Gamata Athak showcased a range of foods, handicrafts and activities.
With local food produced by the commercial cookery students, and a range of clothing and accessories crafted by students learning about dressmaking, over 150 tourists were able to sample traditional Sri Lankan goods.
Additionally, visitors could try their hand at cricket with our academy team, while a series of traditional dances were performed throughout the day by the dance club.