who we

are

who we

are

OUR FOUNDING LEGACY

Community Development Services was established as a national Civil Society Organisation (CSO) under the Companies Ordinance on the 25th of January 1978 and was recognised as a Government Approved Charity in December 1978 (vide gazette No.15 of 15 December 1978). The organisation’s founder the late Dennis Hapugalle before establishing CDS was the first Executive Director of the Family Planning Association of Sri Lanka. Guided by the belief that true development can only be achieved if the smallest unit – the family – is empowered and organised, he established CDS with the resonant ethos “For a Better Life.” It is in this backdrop that we are driven to uplift the underserved, marginalised, and vulnerable communities we serve.

KEY OBJECTIVES

To empower individuals and communities toward self-worth and independence by fostering an understanding of individual and collective rights to facilitate comprehensive and well-rounded development.
To provide technical support to peer organizations, enabling them to strengthen their capacity-building and advocacy initiatives among stakeholders.
To guarantee effectiveness, accountability, transparency, and sustainability in all our efforts, through a strengthened organisational framework.

OUR OPERATIONAL FOOTPRINT

COMMUNITIES WE ENGAGE WITH

Youth. Sex Workers. MSMs. Low-Skilled Migrant Workers. PLHIVs, Factory Workers. Women who are socially and economically vulnerable and challenged in society

THEIR ISSUES

Vulnerable. Discriminated. Stigmatised. Shamed. Abused. Distressed. Detained. Deprived. Underserved. Marginalised. Deceived.

KNOWLEDGE, WE GIVE

HIV & AIDS. SRH. STDs. GBV. Labour Trafficking. Gender. Safe Labour Migration. Mental health. Human smuggling. Social Ills, Entrepreneurship, and Skills Development. Health Rights. Labour Rights. Protection. Equality. Empowerment. Legal Assistance. Psychosocial Support. Community leadership

OUR DELIVERY FRAMEWORK

Capacity Enhancement & Development. Policy Influencing. Advocacy & Lobbying. Activism. Behaviour Change. Behaviour Change and Development Communication. Evidence-based participatory action research

OUR KEY STAKEHOLDERS

NGOs. CBOs. GROs. Government ministries. Local Government Authorities. Government & Private Institutions. Direct & Indirect Beneficiaries. Donor community. Multilateral agencies. International partners. Subregional and international networking.

OUR STRATEGIC FOCUS