Mrs. Malani Jayesekara is an inspiring entrepreneur in her early seventies, producing organic fertilizers and growing vegetables, fruits and coffee plants while adhering to organic farming practices.

She has moved beyond the conventional market oriented agricultural practices which have a high agrochemical usage and impacts the environment and human health. As the demand for organic products are growing with the promotion of sustainable agriculture practices in Sri Lanka, there is tremendous potential to tap in the market.

Malani’s enterprise ‘Malshani’ is in Lindula, Nuwara Eliya. The enterprise has 15 employees to maintain its coffee plant nursery of more than 15,000 plants, grown only with the use of organic fertilizers. Malani is a certified seed handler for export coffee plants. She provides coffee plants to the Agricultural Department and estates by growing coffee plants according to the standard organic cultivation practices recommended by the Department.

Malani received financial support from the EU-funded ENTERPRISE Project from which she procured necessary equipment for organic fertilizer production and establishing a poly tunnel to develop Pepino cultivation. The ENTERPRISE project further provided her training on business growth and business coaching and mentoring to develop her entrepreneurial skills.

Malani says “Though many organizations appreciated my organic cultivation, none of them were willing to provide financial support due to my age. But the support I received from the ENTERPRISE project not only gave me tremendous motivation, but also gave me the recognition I needed to push further. Now there are many organizations coming forward to support me”.

The ENTERPRISE project is funded by the European Union Delegation to Sri Lanka and the Maldives and aims to create an enabling environment for women and youth to create and participate in micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs). Targeting the Uva and Central Provinces, it uses inclusive business models to celebrate the diverse perspectives and experiences of those involved while ensuring profitability.

ENTERPRISE also incubates enterprises and seeks to amplify the voices of women and youth in economic decisions and their influence over SME policies that impact them. Innovative businesses are being developed to support and complement existing government services and fill existing gaps. Employment creation is being carried out to ensure income security for the poor through a combination of direct employment and ensuring markets for their products.

The Enterprise project is being implemented by Chrysalis and the British Council in Sri Lanka, in partnership with CARE Deutschland-Luxemburg (CARE DL).