How We Work To Remove Barriers of Education – Volume 3, Episode 9: Malini Foundation

Removing Barriers for Girls in Sri Lanka

The latest episode of the Circle of Sisterhood’s monthly vlog series is here! This month, we highlight the lasting impact of a $5,000 grant awarded in 2014 to the Malini Foundation to help establish the Malini Home for Gifted Orphaned Girls in Mount Lavinia, Sri Lanka.

This grant supported the home’s first four residents and provided essential startup needs—including house mother training, furniture, school supplies, and educational materials. More than funding access to school, it created a safe and nurturing home where girls could learn, heal, and thrive. In a country where more than 20% of children live below the poverty line, this support opened doors to stability, education, and hope for a brighter future.

About the Malini Foundation

The Malini Foundation is a nonprofit social enterprise based in Sri Lanka that empowers girls and women through education, advocacy, and entrepreneurship. Their mission is to inspire girls and invest in women so they can transform their lives and communities.

At the heart of their work is the Malini Home for Gifted Orphaned Girls, a program that provides holistic care, emphasizing academic achievement, emotional well-being, life skills, and community integration. Beyond education, the foundation supports artisan and merchandising initiatives that help women—especially those overcoming trauma—gain financial independence and escape poverty.

The 2014 Circle of Sisterhood grant helped make this vision a reality. By providing a foundation of safety, education, and empowerment, the Malini Foundation continues to uplift girls who might otherwise be left behind, giving them the tools to become confident, capable leaders in their communities.

Join Us in Removing Barriers

Education is one of the most powerful tools we have to break cycles of poverty, neglect, and inequality. When girls are given access to education and opportunity, entire communities are strengthened.

By supporting the Circle of Sisterhood, you are helping fund programs like the Malini Foundation’s home for orphaned girls—where education, care, and empowerment go hand in hand.

Every level of support helps us make a difference. Thank you for being part of this movement.

Learn more about our grant partners: circleofsisterhood.org/grants | malinifoundation.org