Foundation
Unfortunately, violence experienced physically, sexually or psychologically has a high rate of victims in Sri Lanka. The Sambol Foundation would like to enable women and children in Sri Lanka to help themselves. Minorities who are discriminated against are supported in everyday life by shelter, stabilization and fixed structures. Free forms of therapy, medical help for sexual abuse or free access to legal aid in court cases are offered. First, traumatic experiences are intercepted in a protected environment, then a follow-up solution is worked out so that a self-determined life is possible for the victims of gender-specific violence at a later point in time.
The foundation is currently working on the realization of the first shelter village in Asia. The Sambol Safe-Village is expected to be realized by the end of 2025 on a large site in the south of the island with its own school, therapy centres, workshops, playground and individually adjustable shelters, depending on the size of the family. The construction plans were designed by Dorothee Müller, architect Msc, ETH, who accompanies the complex construction project free of charge for the foundation. In Matara, the construction will be carried out by a female engineer and her team.
The foundation's name comes from an addition to Sri Lankan curry. A "sambol" is served as an extra to a curry, it gives color and an extra taste. In a figurative sense, this should also apply to the foundation. The work of the foundation is currently mainly financed by private donations.
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Detailed insights and successes
Find out more about our successes, challenges and the progress of our projects over the past year. The Sambol Foundation Annual Report 2023 is available here.
Our Team
Nabeela Yaseen
Member of the Board of Directors
Inoka Gamage
Manager
Jayaseeli Ipalawaththage
House Mother
Nirosha Cooray
Day Care Assistant
Kalani Madhurangika
Accounts Assistant
Thimasha Thalapalage
Teacher & Childcare Manager
Nilanthi Hewa Madihage
House Mother
Nallaperumage Priyanthika
Day care assistant
Naomi Osada
Social Media Manager, Webshop, Events & Fundraising
Hazel Tetteh
Member of the Board of Directors
Sachee Abevikrama
House Manager
Sriyani Mudiyanselage
House Mother
Kithmini Abeysekara
Office assistant
Jayani Thilakawardhana
Consultant & Management assistant
Hiruni Malaviarachchi
Assistant Psychotherapist
Pushpa Poramanage
Lady Driver
Jessica Lehmann
Webshop & Events
Eliane Kunz
Fundraising
Advisory Board
Rochelle Allebes
President
Rochelle Allebes is a social worker FH, worked in the women's shelter in Zurich and is a co-founder of the girls' shelter there. Among other things, she has been a supervisor for many years and has experience in setting up and developing projects in the psychosocial field. She advises the foundation on conceptual, implementation and technical issues.
Anu Sivaganesan
Anu Sivaganesan is a legal scholar and researches in the area of children's, women's, migration and human rights. She is a member of the Federal Commissions EKF and EKM and President of the Swiss Children's Lobby. She is the head of the Forced Marriage Unit. With her specialist knowledge and experience with people in emergency situations and the exchange with people from different backgrounds, she stands up for social issues.
Nevesthika Muralitharan
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Nevesthika Muralitharan, former student of Health Sciences & Technology ETH and currently research assistant in the Therapeutic Products Law Section at the FOPH, activist in South Asian/Tamil organisations and DJ will enrich the foundation with her personal awareness and socialisation through values of her Tamil family, with her professional but also emotional knowledge.
Rebecca Angelini
Rebecca Angelini has been committed to the interests of migrants in general and sex workers in particular, against violence against women* and against discrimination for many years. She worked for around ten years at the FIZ specialist office for trafficking in women and women migration. She completed her studies in ethnology and political science at the University of Zurich.
Roland Thomann
Roland Thomann supports the foundation with advice and action from Switzerland. The basis for this is his experience of two decades working for communication and fundraising agencies in Switzerland, the founding and development of a foundation in Indonesia and his commitment to humanitarian emergency aid as Communications Director of Médecins Sans Frontières.
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Founder
Devika Salomon
Devika and Luca work operationally, on site in the field, but also conceptually from Switzerland. Devika's in-depth knowledge of social conditions is put into practice every day in cooperation with Inoka, the local manager. In addition to her experience in working with women, she acts conscientiously and humanitarian in her role as managing director.
Luca carefully complements the diverse operational experience and wide-ranging
skills the duo.
Luca Solomon
Luca Salomon is a co-founder of the Sambol Foundation and supports its development with his expertise in finance, structures, organisation and strategy. Together with Devika, Luca manages the project, which is consistently committed to combating domestic and sexual violence. His current focus is on the planning and implementation of the first Safe-Village in Asia.
Donations
As a non-profit foundation, we currently use donations to cover the costs of setting up the NGO on site and setting up the shelter. We are also in the process of defining the measures to maintain security and anonymity and are recruiting locally selected specialist staff in order to be able to guarantee smooth operation and optimal support.
With your donation, you help ensure that women affected by violence have the opportunity to escape and help with their children. Women and children can be empowered by staying in this sanctuary. We will then promote future-oriented development so that some of those seeking protection will be able to pursue a self-determined life after their stay in the shelter.
Legal form & account
Our foundation is part of the non-profit collective foundation Fondation des Fondateur and is therefore tax-exempt.
We look forward to donations online or to the following account:
IBAN: CH44 0070 0114 8021 2333 5
Beneficiary:
Fondation des Fondateurs
Kirchgasse 42
8001 Zurich
Reason for payment: Sambol Foundation
A donation receipt is automatically issued for donations of 50 or more.