“Education does not change the world. Education changes people. People change the world.”
— Paulo Freire, educator and philosopher of adult education
From 2026 onwards, DVV International Sri Lanka is stepping into a long-term programme journey. This is not a short intervention or a single project. It is a commitment to walk alongside people, communities, and institutions over time, to strengthen adult learning and education in ways that truly last.
Across Sri Lanka, many adults and young people are looking for more than a one-off training. They are looking for direction, confidence, and real chances to build a better life. Our programme responds to that reality. We work especially with youth and adults who are not in education, employment, or training, women who want to open new doors, adults who want to upgrade their skills, and communities working hard to build stronger local economies.
From 2026 and beyond, our work is shaped around the parts of life where learning makes the biggest difference. In vocational education and training, we work with public institutions to make adult learning more welcoming, more practical, and more connected to real opportunities. We support centres, instructors, and managers so that adults do not just attend courses, but gain skills they can truly use.
In farming communities, learning happens close to the field. Together with partners, we connect skills development with better practices, climate awareness, and income opportunities. The aim is simple: learning that helps families build more secure and resilient livelihoods.
Along the coast, we work with fisheries communities to strengthen technical skills, safety, processing, and small enterprise development. This is about turning experience into stronger livelihoods and supporting families who depend on the sea to build a more stable future.
Across all these areas, entrepreneurship is not a separate topic. It is part of everyday learning. We connect technical skills with business thinking, confidence, and market understanding, so that learning becomes a real bridge to income, dignity, and independence.
What truly guides our programme from 2026 and beyond is the idea of pathways. Not single courses. Not isolated activities. But connected journeys. Pathways that link life skills and career guidance with vocational learning, sector skills, entrepreneurship, and work. Pathways that support people to move step by step, at their own pace, towards meaningful livelihoods and long-term stability.
This programme has grown from listening. From studies, field work, and many conversations with government institutions, sector partners, trainers, and community members. It reflects real needs, real challenges, and real hopes.
We work across all levels to make these pathways possible. We support learners, trainers, and centres. We strengthen cooperation between institutions and sectors. We work with national partners to improve how adult learning is planned, supported, and sustained. Our role is to connect people, strengthen structures, and help build adult learning systems that continue to serve communities long after individual activities end.
From 2026 onwards, DVV International Sri Lanka will deepen its work in the provinces, expand relevant and innovative learning opportunities, strengthen entrepreneurship connections, and continue building inclusive lifelong learning pathways across the country.
This is a long-term programme. A shared journey. Focused on people. Grounded in communities. And committed to a future where learning remains a real opportunity at every stage of life.