As part of its ongoing efforts to strengthen grassroots leadership, collective action, and community participation among the Malaiyaha community, the Voice of the Plantation People Organization (VOPP) is conducting a series of six divisional-level discussion meetings across the Matara, Galle, and Kalutara districts. These discussions bring together selected leaders and representatives of estate-level community groups to create a common platform for identifying community concerns, strengthening coordination, and developing collective responses to rights-based issues.
The first divisional-level discussion meeting was successfully conducted on 19 September 2026 in Deniyaya, bringing together Malaiyaha community representatives from several estates within the Kotapola and Pasgoda Divisional Secretariat areas of Matara District. The meeting provided an important space for community representatives to openly share their experiences, concerns, and priorities relating to the current situation of Malaiyaha communities living in the plantation areas.
During the discussion, participants reflected on the current living conditions and socio-economic situation of Malaiyaha families in their respective estates. They highlighted a range of challenges affecting their day-to-day lives and discussed rights-related concerns, particularly in relation to land, housing, education, access to public services, livelihood opportunities, and the overall socio-economic wellbeing of their communities.
The representatives also shared specific experiences and challenges encountered at the estate level. Through a participatory discussion, they identified common concerns that require collective attention and explored how community groups could work together to address these issues. The discussion helped participants recognize the importance of moving beyond individual estate-level concerns and developing collective approaches and coordinated advocacy on issues affecting the wider Malaiyaha community.
An important component of the meeting was the development of future priorities and practical follow-up actions. Participants discussed possible actions that could be undertaken at community and divisional levels, including strengthening community-level organization, documenting emerging issues, engaging relevant government authorities and other stakeholders, and working collectively to advocate for solutions to priority rights-based concerns.
The meeting also contributed to strengthening communication and coordination among estate-level representatives from the Kotapola and Pasgoda areas. By bringing representatives together in a common forum, VOPP created an opportunity for leaders to learn from each other’s experiences, identify shared concerns, and explore possibilities for joint action. This process is expected to contribute to the emergence of stronger and more representative grassroots leadership structures within the Malaiyaha community.
The discussion was facilitated by the VOPP team, with the active participation of:
Anthony Jesudasan – Executive Director
Lavina Hasanthi – Program Director
V. Priyadarshani – National Program Coordinator
Anton Wanaththaiya – Field Manager
Dineshiya Sewwandi – Animator
The first meeting in Deniyaya represents an important initial step in VOPP’s broader process of mobilizing and strengthening divisional-level leadership and collective action. It provided community representatives with a safe and participatory space to express their concerns, analyze the challenges facing their communities, and identify practical pathways for collective engagement and advocacy.
The outcomes and experiences from this first discussion will inform the subsequent divisional-level meetings planned in Matara, Galle, and Kalutara districts. Through this process, VOPP aims to strengthen grassroots leadership, improve coordination among estate-level community groups, promote democratic and accountable community structures, and build a stronger collective voice for the land, housing, education, and broader rights and aspirations of the Malaiyaha community.
