The Story of Dr. Lahiru Kodituwakku
Dr. Lahiru Kodituwakku is part of the core team at Little Food Cabinet Movement of Resilience RTC, a grassroots, crowdsourced solution to cater to immediate and local needs amidst the current economic crisis and cascading effects of COVID-19 pandemic in Sri Lanka. The mission of the Little Food Cabinet Movement is to help feed and nourish the needy members of the community while promoting its resilience and sustainability.
Over the years, several Little Food Cabinets have been established under the leadership of the Resilience Foundation, Compassion in Action—Little Food Cabinet Stewardship Program, across selected locations and localities, including individual homes, religious places, government and private organizations, and educational institutes in Sri Lanka. The purpose of Little Food Cabinets is to serve as a compassionate community corner where people can choose and get whatever food items they need for free and contribute by donating the same.
When did you realize you wanted to be a social entrepreneur? How did you define your purpose?
During my engagements with the communities in disaster preparedness and response, I effectively noticed the need to address their social determinants as a vital part of our work, which transformed me into exploring social entrepreneurship. My purpose has been to strengthen the capacities of communities to prepare and respond to shocks and stressors effectively, which is a pillar for creating community empowerment and resilience.
What was your first project? What were your lessons learned?
My first project was "Pillars of Resilience", which served faith leaders of all religions across Sri Lanka to empower them with essential knowledge and skills to prepare, mitigate, and respond to disasters and crises. I learned the power of collective thinking and the value of community work, inclusive of men, women, children, clergy, and people with disabilities, amidst numerous challenges during crises, to sustain and save lives.
How would you describe your journey - smooth sailing or a roller coaster ride?
It has been an arduous journey. The biggest challenge was gaining the trust of the community, which is often neglected by mainstream response mechanisms, and how a grassroots-level organization could contribute to their overall well-being. We managed this challenge by engaging community champions such as religious leaders, youth and women groups, and activists who engaged in social work with disfranchised communities. By building networks and a common understanding of the needs of marginalized communities through community champions, we were able to win the trust and support of the communities we serve.
What are you building right now? What is your ambition?
We are building a community of practice to empower marginalized and vulnerable communities, covering not only crisis preparedness and response but also climate action, social entrepreneurship, and peace and mediation. This community of practice will prepare, mobilize, and respond to any type of shock or stressor through collective action, contributing through their own networks and capacities.
How can everyone support you?
You can support the Little Food Cabinet Movement of Resilience (RTC) in two ways:
1. Networking and building bridges to connect like-minded community-driven individuals, professionals, and organizations for the sharing of best practices on community resilience across the world.
2. Disseminating our message and call to address and prioritize the needs of the most vulnerable men, women, children, elderly, and persons with disabilities during disasters and crises among your networks and colleagues.
If you would like to learn more about the Little Food Cabinet Movement of Resilience RTC, please visit the website and social media pages:
