Last Month in Impact - January 2025

Dear Reader,

I’d like to take this moment to express my gratitude for your continued support of our mission to bring positive impact to Sri Lanka.

It goes without saying that we have an important year ahead. Sri Lanka has begun its journey to recovery, and the next year will be critical in terms of ensuring its sustainability.

At Connect to Care, we aim to make a difference in this process. We believe that the answer to the country’s challenges lies within the capabilities of its citizens and the vast reservoir of diaspora talent. And so we work with international institutions, the government, and the private sector to unlock the power of local talent and local solutions.

Excellent progress is being made on the digital transformation of the agricultural sector and public infrastructure. We expect those programs to bear meaningful fruit this year. We’ve also added a livestock and dairy program to our portfolio.

We are also about to launch our newest venture, Connect to Care Global, to expand our reach across the Global South. We are looking to work with international organisations implementing in Asia, regional multi-lateral organisations, government bodies and entities, as well as philanthropists and foundations to improve project success and strengthen impact.

Another area of focus is communications. This newsletter is part of a larger initiative to communicate more timely and effectively as we set our sights high this year. You can expect to hear from us at the beginning of every month with updates, announcements, events, and more. At the same time, we’ll also be expanding our media coverage both locally and regionally to shine a bigger spotlight on our work.

Please do keep in mind that Connect To Care is fundamentally a collaborative endeavour. It’s about bringing talent and passion together to maximise impact. If you have an idea, a project proposal, or simply the desire to contribute, don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Until next time, we wish you a fruitful year ahead and hope to see you in the near future.

Sincerely,

Emaali Gunasekara
CEO

Launching Soon

• Connect to Care Global (CTCG) - We are expanding our impact across the Global South through Connect to Care Global (CTCG) in Singapore. CTCG will be supported by a diverse and highly skilled team. With members based in India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Pakistan, Nepal, the Maldives, Bhutan, Myanmar, South Africa, Rwanda, and Sri Lanka, we will focus on driving catalytic change throughout the Global South and bridging regions that are not adequately connected.

• Internship with a Purpose - This program will soon be launched under the "Connect to Care" initiative, aimed at providing youth in Sri Lanka and the diaspora with meaningful opportunities to participate in nation-building projects

What We’re Working On

Here’s a brief overview of the projects we’re working on in partnership with Global health Strategies (GHS) in conjunction with the Gates Foundation:

• Inclusive Digital Agriculture Transformation (IDAT) - This project marks one of the first multi-ministerial initiatives dedicated to digital transformation in the agriculture sector, specifically targeting smallholder farmers. We take on a leadership and management role to ensure the successful implementation and sustainability of the project, while also overseeing its integration with state organisations.

• Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) - We serve a catalytic role in advancing the Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) in the country by enhancing capacity building, fostering collaboration, and facilitating the programme.

• Nutrition - Our aim is to develop sustainable solutions that address the nutritional gap in Sri Lanka through the school meal program. We accomplish this through collaborations with UN World Food Program, PATH, our technical partner in nutrition and digital health, as well as with government stakeholders, development agencies, and the private sector.

• Livestock and Dairy - Our newest project, we are working with the Ministry of Agriculture to minimise milk imports, extend the economic opportunity to Sri Lankan farmers and improve the availability of milk to improve nutrition.

• Support on Policy Advocacy - We provide resources and support, incorporating global and local best practices, to assist in the policy considerations of our projects.

Some of the other projects we are working on include:

• FinTech - We are actively seeking partnerships with organisations advancing FinTech solutions. Our most recent collaboration is with the Global Finance & Technology Network, organiser of the Singapore FinTech Festival, with the objective to improve the Sri Lankan financial ecosystem and organise the Indian Ocean edition of the Festival.

• Clean Cooking Initiative in Sri Lanka - We work with the private sector, government, and civil society to bring clean cooking alternatives to rural communities, creating a positive impact on both households and potentially, through carbon market integration, the environment.

• Driving Social Impact through Technology - We partner with international technology innovators to bring cutting-edge solutions and emerging technologies to projects that create positive social impact.

Government Meetings for IDAT and DPI

We organised a series of meetings with the newly established Government of Sri Lanka for the Gates Foundation to reaffirm the government's priorities. Discussions with the Honourable Prime Minister, the Deputy Minister of Digital Economy, the Deputy Ministers of Finance, and their respective secretaries focused on strategies to support smallholder farmers through IDAT and to address the malnutrition crisis by identifying sustainable nutrition solutions. It was also agreed that the Gates Foundation would serve as a catalyst to expedite the Sri Lanka Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) agenda.

Digital Public Infrastructure Consortium

We will play a pivotal role in supporting the Ministry of Digital Economy by offering collaboration support, backed by a range of stakeholders including grants, loans, public-private partnerships (PPP), and government-to-government (G2G) initiatives. This approach aims to maximise impact.

Recently, we facilitated a meeting between the Director of the Gates Foundation DPI, Dr. Hans, Chief Advisor to the President and Chairman of ICTA, and initiated discussions among the Asian Development Bank (ADB), World Bank, and the Gates Foundation to establish a consortium. This collaboration aims to enhance the support provided for Sri Lanka's DPI development.

Global Finance & Technology Network Collaboration

We are actively collaborating with The Global Finance & Technology Network (GFTN), a not-for-profit organisation founded by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS). GFTN aims to leverage technology and promote innovation to create more efficient, resilient, and inclusive financial ecosystems through global partnerships. As the first step in this initiative, we are playing a crucial role in facilitating collaboration between the Ministry of Digital Economy and GFTN.

Food Fortification Learning Visit to India

We facilitated a high-level learning visit for Sri Lankan National Food Promotion Board (NFPB) representatives to India to study best practices in large-scale food fortification and nutrition governance. The delegation engaged with key institutions, including Mumbai Public School, where India’s Mid-Day Meal Program was examined for its successful integration of fortified rice into school feeding initiatives.

The visit is part of a larger initiative co-funded by the German Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development and the Gates Foundation, and implemented by GIZ and partners to strengthen the public sector and policy environment for large-scale food fortification in the ECOWAS region, India, and Madagascar. PATH, operating under a GIZ grant, hosted participants from 7 different countries, including Burkina Faso, Senegal, Benin, Ghana, Nigeria, Côte d’Ivoire, and Madagascar.

Innovation for the Future of Agriculture

Join us at Krushi Thakashana Punurudhaya (AgriTech Festival) for the inaugural launch of the first batch of locally incubated AgriTech solutions courtesy of the GoviLab AgriTech Accelerator and Hatch co-working space.

See how AgriTech solutions are transforming the lives of millions of farmers, tackling critical issues in agriculture with the support of experts, government agencies, and grassroots organizations.

Date: 03/03/2025 

Time: 10:00 to 15:00

Venue: Farm Mechanisation Training Centre, Anuradhapura (https://maps.app.goo.gl/d2z3FreJgxYxE9Jq6)

If you would like to participate, please contact [email protected].

SACEP Retreat

Facilitated by us, the SACEP retreat was convened to focus on the future direction of the South Asian Co-operative Environment Programme (SACEP), enhancing regional cooperation, and addressing environmental challenges facing South Asia. Key areas of focus included future environmental projects, team building, stress management, and improving partnerships. The retreat brought together representatives from SACEP, UNOPS, the PLEASE project implementation unit, and the World Bank.

Meeting with UNOPS

We are exploring collaboration opportunities across Asia. We had a productive meeting with the UNOPS regional team, emphasizing that addressing regional challenges and learning from one another is essential for finding sustainable solutions.

Company Announcements

We have a couple of big announcements to pass along:

More about Emaali’s appointment on our LinkedIn.

More about our new team members here.

For more information about our work, visit connecttocare.co or our LinkedIn.