“I began mushroom cultivation for my mental wellbeing, not expecting it to become a business,” said Indika Lasanthi, a mushroom cultivator under the John Keells Praja Shakthi livelihood programme in Ja‑Ela. “John Keells Foundation supported me with the cultivation house, training and my first batch of pods. With that, I built my business and have now started supplying to Keells Supermarket. It has inspired other women in my community too.”

Indika Lasanthi is one of hundreds of women and girls that have been empowered under sustained initiatives of John Keells Foundation (JKF) - the Corporate Social Responsibility entity of the John Keells Group– since its establishment in 2005. These programmes designed and implemented under the vision of ‘Empowering the Nation for Tomorrow’, continue to create pathways for economic resilience, education, creativity and professional growth.

The theme for International Women's Day 2026 is ‘Give To Gain’. Aimed at encouraging a mindset of generosity and collaboration, it emphasises that empowering women leads to shared prosperity. When women succeed in education, leadership, entrepreneurship, science, arts, and politics, entire communities grow stronger.

JKF’s investments in education continue to uplift young women pursuing their academic goals. JKF’s Higher Education Scholarship Scheme is aimed at incentivising economically challenged youth to pursue their Advanced Level and University education through a monthly stipend for the duration of the course of study. Surani Himaya, a recipient of the Higher Education Scholarship, noted, “The monthly stipend helped me cover tuition and boarding while studying for my Advanced Level. It eased the pressure on my family and motivated me to aim high.”

U.V. Rupika Jayanthi, a participant at Kala Pola 2026 - Sri Lanka’s renowned annual open air art fair sponsored by JKF over the past 32 years - stated, “Kala Pola has empowered me as an artist. The support from JKF gave me strength to showcase my artwork at Kala Pola 2026. From preparing my pieces to engaging with customers, the experience has been a proud achievement that motivated me to give my absolute best.”

Furthermore, the Rural BPO initiative – another long-term initiative of JKF in collaboration with JKH subsidiary Infomate (Pvt) Ltd - continues to provide valuable entry level opportunities for professional development. Ashani Kaundika, an associate of the Seenigama BPO shared, “Through this role, I not only learned technical skills but also discovered what it means to work in an office, to grow as a leader, and to coordinate with the Infomate office. Over the years, this job has become a huge support for my family, especially after I got married.”

Woman Chief Inspector of Police Subhashini of the Women and Children’s Desk, Thalangama Police Station who was a participant of the training conducted for the Kaduwela Police Division said, "The three-day training conducted by John Keells Foundation on gender-based violence, child protection, and substance abuse prevention is both timely and vital. Through interactive activities, new officers were able to gain maximum knowledge. I sincerely hope that JKF continues to organise more such knowledge-sharing programmes like this in the future."

Through many such success stories, JKF reaffirms its commitment to advancing women’s empowerment and strengthening skilled, inclusive and resilient communities across Sri Lanka.

Education, Community & Livelihoods, Social Health & Cohesion, and Biodiversity are the four focus areas of John Keells Foundation - the CSR entity of John Keells Holdings PLC (JKH), largest company listed on the CSE in terms of market capitalization operating over 80 companies in 7 diverse industry sectors. With a history of over 150 years, the John Keells Group provides employment to over 18,000 persons and has been ranked as Sri Lanka's 'Most Respected Entity' for the last 20 Years by LMD magazine. JKH has placed first for the fourth consecutive year in the 'Transparency in Corporate Reporting Assessment' by Transparency International Sri Lanka.  Whilst being a full member of the World Economic Forum and a participant of the UN Global Compact, JKH drives its CSR vision of `Empowering the Nation for Tomorrow’ through John Keells Foundation and through the social entrepreneurship initiative, ‘Plasticcycle’, which is a catalyst in significantly reducing plastic pollution in Sri Lanka.