| A | Description of the Success Story |
| | Name | Jeyakumar Thilagawathy |
| Gender(M/F) | Female | | |
| | | |
| A.1. background information of the Beneficiary / location /House/ family members, previous income, Nutrition issues etc. |
| In the quiet village of Chettikulam, nestled in the dry zone of Mannar District, lives V. Thilagawathy, a dedicated housewife and part-time tailor. She lives with her husband and has three children, two of who are married and living separately. With limited income from her small tailoring shop, she managed daily household responsibilities and provided for the family’s basic needs. Her family maintained a small seasonal home garden, growing just a few vegetables occasionally. Most of the vegetables for daily meals had to be purchased from the nearby grocery store, consuming both time and money. Their land was underutilized, and their diet lacked regular access to fresh and diverse vegetables. Life was manageable, but far from sustainable. |
| A.2. Description about Current income / family nutrition improvement /Women empowerment / leadership |
| Following the intervention of the CRIWMP project, Thilagawathy has completely transformed her livelihood. She now runs a small roadside vegetable shop in front of her house, selling fresh vegetables harvested directly from her garden. Uniquely, she offers “harvest on demand” only picking vegetables once customers request, ensuring maximum freshness and building customer trust. As a result, she now earns an average of LKR 3,000 per day just from vegetable sales. Her household no longer depends on market-purchased vegetables, reducing costs and significantly improving their daily nutrition. In addition to vegetables, her poultry unit has become a valuable asset. The family now consumes at least one egg daily, contributing to better protein intake, especially for the elderly and children in the household. On top of that, she sells a minimum of nine eggs per day, adding another steady income stream while promoting local, fresh produce in the community. With the time saved from manually watering the garden and making frequent market visits (thanks to the irrigation system), Thilagawathy now manages both her tailoring business and vegetable shop more efficiently. She has successfully integrated multiple income-generating activities tailoring, vegetable sales, and poultry farming creating a resilient and sustainable household economy. More importantly, Thilagawathy has emerged as a role model for women in her community. She demonstrates how women can lead sustainable development at the grassroots level when equipped with the right tools and knowledge. Her initiative, leadership, and success serve as a powerful example of women’s empowerment in rural Sri Lanka. |
| | A.3 How the CRIWMP project support has helped to the family improvement so far |
| | The CRIWMP project has played a crucial role in Thilagawathy’s journey. Her family received a drip irrigation system for half an acre, which made year-round cultivation possible. They were provided with 100 chili plants, 100 tomato plants, 70 banana plants, and 20 chicks with a poultry coop, adding a new layer of food production and income. In addition, she received extensive training in: Compost and organic fertilizer preparation Water and soil management techniques Climate-smart agriculture (CSA) practices Efficient land use and home gardening strategies These interventions allowed her to move beyond traditional seasonal farming and make full use of her land. With a combination of technical knowledge, infrastructure support, and agricultural inputs, Thilagawathy has built a sustainable, climate-resilient household economy. Her story exemplifies the far-reaching impact that community-based interventions can have on rural families, especially when women are placed at the center of change. |
