Nishadi works tirelessly for community development

The passion for mankind to progress is ever increasing and the value of human relationships is fast disappearing. In such a context, being the founder of an institution that works towards the community development is commendable. Nishadi Somaratne works tirelessly through her Institute for Gender and Development Studies, Sri Lanka (InGaDS) to uplift the quality of life of people in neglected strata of society. It produced the first ever sticker to promote road safety for pregnant women. This is one important initiative taken by the institution and there are many more in the pipeline.

She was interviewed by Daily News Business .

Excerpts of the interview.

Q. How do you describe your line of business?

A. I am the founder and CEO of the Institute for Gender and Development Studies, Sri Lanka (InGaDS Sri Lanka). InGaDS does research, training, and advisory services in community development, and gender and development. It is a service oriented private sector organization. I had been a free-lance consultant in gender, social capital and rural community development for 13 years, a PhD qualified social researcher, trainers, and a visiting lecturer for Post Graduate Institute of Agriculture, Peradeniya University.

The objective of InGaDS is to run an organization in a capitalistic economy with compassion for the society, not to collect capital for private ownership, but to invest it back in the development of the society. We do community services, where necessary, with the profits made by the organization. We work at a place called Madulkelle, a remote isolated tea estate community, to upgrade lives of people, by connecting the community with much able people to work with them in the aspects of child development, environmental sanitation, child and women rights. We also provide “accessory for gender and development research” and have produced the “Gender-data hand book of Sri Lanka”, which was a much needed resource base.

This book is available for local and international researches to refer. We have provided our advisory services for Madulkelle “Tea and eco-lodge” to model it out as a socially responsible tourism project. I am happy to say that this hotel is giving paternity leave under our advise for its male employees, and this is the first time that a private sector organization provides paternity leave for its employees. The sticker to protect travelling mothers is 'a fist' in Sri Lanka, The money we collect by selling this sticker goes to the fund of the search on “ Women's economic participation and access to child-care in Sri Lanka.” We do not undertake an assignment, if we cannot make a remarkable impact” is our service philosophy.

Q. How do you manage time to handle your personal life?

A. I take much time to enjoy my life. Keeping expectations in manageable size, and not running behind things, has made my personal and professional life happy.

I do not let myself to be overloaded with work. Letting things open to my family members, duly planning and arranging things by discussing with my husband and little daughter is often the practice to avoid confusions and conflicts of interests.

Also, being responsible for the happiness of others including my family members and friends has made my life full and contended.

Doing extra when it is needed is also a philosophy that I followed and made my life a success.

Q. What motivated you to venture into business on your own?

A. It is my passion for creativity in research and community development interventions. My organization has created me unlimited space and opportunities to fill the gaps in conventional community development practices and bring it into a new paradigm.

Q. What are your goals?

A.To enrich the stock of knowledge and practices in community development, gender and development fields.

To develop organizations, personalities (human resources) fitting to the development of the country and its society. To see a society, both men and women enjoying freedom to be what they want to be in life.

Q. How do you face the challenges of competition?

A. I do not compete. I create my own opportunities, where there are no competitors. I always believe, “small is beautiful”.

I have absorbed the good part of capitalism and market economy and its freedom in the market, not the ugly part of competition that could lead people to go beyond ethics.

Q. What example do you provide to others?

A. Being your self is the best and easy way to find happiness in life.

Being compassionate, and not doing business if it harms any part of the society can be provided as examples to others.

Q. What is your specialty?

A. Determination, passion for creativity and doing new things than just consuming/following the old stuff, being a self-critique, untiringly delivering a quality service, and making my work a useful contributor for the social development.

Q. What are your achievements in family life and business?

A. My feelings for my family is warm and fresh and is the most achieved thing in terms of family life.

Being loved and supported by them in all my activities and emotions and working as a team is a wonderful aspect I enjoy in my family.

In terms of business, keeping my business unspoiled/pure and a venture that makes me and others happy is the best achievement that I can say, than measuring it in terms of how much of investments and profits I made.

Happiness and satisfaction are the elements of profit I always expect from my business.

Q. What is your message to society?

A. Do not give up, just because others say “no” . And, believe in your own self and begin.

You will find a queue behind you to help once you begin in your own small way.

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