YouLEAP: Enhanced economic Access and Opportunities for diverse Youth and their Families
The YouLEAP (Youth Led Economic Actions for Prosperity) project aims to empower youth through the development and strengthening of youth-led cooperatives and social enterprises. This reduces economic insecurity of the youth, as well as being a source of funding for their community development projects.
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Project NameYouLEAP
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Project PhaseJanuary 2024 to December 2025
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FundingDonations
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Thematic focusSkills, Jobs and Income
Overcoming economic and cultural boundaries
YouLEAP focuses on enhancing skills, creating jobs, and increasing income opportunities for young people across diverse communities. The primary goal of the project is to enhance economic access and opportunities for diverse youth and their families. By fostering effective engagement in local economic development and promoting social cohesion, the project seeks to build a sustainable and inclusive economic environment in Sri Lanka.
YouLEAP builds on the successes of the preceding CBY (Crossing Boundaries of Youth) project that was focusing on reconciliation and has established 4 youth-led cooperatives in Anuradhapura, Batticaloa, Matara and Tricomalee. These cooperatives are now being further established with interlinked district-based social enterprises. The Economically empowered youth-led cooperatives promote improved skills, employment, and income generation opportunities through sustainable social enterprises.
The four existing social enterprises
Helawaruna Social Enterprise specializes in the production and sale of handicrafts and herbal products, sourcing raw materials from the local community.
Raja Messa (King Bee) Social Enterprise, dedicated to collecting and selling bottled bee honey, with honey sourced from local small-scale farmers.
Green Batti Social Enterprise, focuses on producing coconut oil and coconut-based products, involving the community in value addition.
Dream Spot Social Enterprise promotes community tourism and recreational activities, with the community participating as service providers.
Preceding CBY Project
The Crossing Boundaries of Youth project targeted youth and young adults to promote a vision of inclusive and more equitable futures. The project team trained and supported committed Sri Lankan young women and men in the areas of communication and leadership, conflict transformation, network building and promotion of cultural diversity, and participation in democratic processes, so that they can implement activities in their social environment - youth clubs, schools, families and communities.
