In July and August, Scholars travelled to the east and central regions of the South Asian nation to engage with multiple communities.
Members of the Periclean Scholars Class of 2027 spent part of their summer break in the eastern and central regions of Sri Lanka, initiating their work that will span the next two academic years.
The Scholars engaged with local communities in Moratuwa, Batticaloa, Ampara, and Badulla, and learned a great deal about Sri Lankan history, culture, and the everyday lives of both rural and urban citizens. Over the next two years, the Scholars will be partnering with Sarvodaya (Sri Lanka’s oldest and largest non-governmental organization) on one or more community-centered projects related to women’s empowerment, LGBTQIA2S+ advocacy and/or educational inequities.
Through participation in multiple shramadanas (shared gifts of collective labor), the Scholars worked side-by-side with community members on several short-term community enhancement projects, and in so doing, established and built interpersonal relationships with local communities that will be foundational in their future work.
During the fall semester, the Scholars will employ what they have learned through continued engagement with their partners in the development of shared community empowerment and self-sufficiency projects.
