19 local organizations to watch: Green Life Generation

📋 What they do Green Life Generation is a for-profit social enterprise that sources unused fabrics from garment factories, homes, and furniture manufacturers and turns them into handmade products crafted by female artisans. When hiring, Green Life Generation prioritizes single mothers, women over 35, women with disabilities, women with husbands in the informal labor sector, and women with caretaking responsibilities. 👀 Why we’re watching This circular economy business introduces unique, scalable approaches. For instance, its Green Life Boutique in Kengalla, Sri Lanka, launched a “No Cash, Only Trash” system. Through its “Bincoin” system, customers can exchange their waste for points at their store, which can then be put toward shopping at the boutique. Green Life Generation is also committed to boosting the employability of its workers. Employees don’t join with a specific role but instead learn on the job, with hopes they will leave with a diverse set of skills. 🏢 Country of operation Sri Lanka. 🗓️ Founding year 2017. ➕Leadership Savandie Abeyratna, founder and CEO. 📊 Impact snapshot Despite being a bootstrapped social enterprise, community impact has been a central focus. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Green Life Generation started an initiative called “Let’s Feed a Village” that raised over $730 to provide over 100 families with food and supplies to last one to two weeks. 💡Insider scoop Funding is a key challenge for Green Life Generation for two reasons: Its for-profit status eliminates many funding opportunities, and its geographical distance from developed urban areas such as Colombo, which is a five-hour drive away. Moving forward, Green Life Generation hopes to expand to two additional locations in Sri Lanka over the next two years. ➡️ Follow 🌐greenlifegeneration.org