Category: Matara

Today we had our last day in the Matara district. The bus left at 8:40 for our last two lectures at the University of Ruhuna. Firstly we had a statistic lecture with local students held by Dr. Nisantha Kurukulasooriya. He lectured about the interference between statistics and social siences, as well as how collection of random data adresses issues in studies regarding the social sciences. The second part of the lecture was spent interacting with the local students. We shared experiences and learned about their everyday school life, families and ambitions. Then there were time for a morning snack consisting of bananas, pancakes with coconut sugar and sandwiches with onion, as well as coffee and tea.

After tea-time we had our last lecture at the university held by Dr. Indi Akutugoda. She is the head of the department of Public policy, and held her lecture about Sri Lanka’s socio-political changes and challenges. Here we learned shortly about the colonial history of Sri Lanka, as well as their governmental and administrative systems. Then she moved on to challenges and disasters Sri Lanka have faced with throughout the deacades. Including the tsunami on December 26th 2004 which left many thousands deceased or homeless,as well as the civil war which ended in 2009. The Civil war were between the Sri Lankan government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, and 30 years after it’s beginning did the government end the war victorious. Others things she discussed was the Easter sunday terrorist attacks in 2019, Covid-19 pandemic in 2020-2021 and the bankruptcy in 2022.

However, despite these struggles Sri Lanka has made multiple successes over the past two years. The 22nd amendment were introduced to the constitution and welfare have increased. New provisions of fuel, gas, medicine and essential food items have eased peoples lives. In addition were the economy managed by restructuring debt with companies such as the World Bank. This restructuring resulted in the economic bankruptcy ending in 2024.

After the lecture we headed to lunch at the university, before taking the bus to the White Virgin tea factory. At the factory we first got a tour of the grounds where they grow the plants needed to make the tea. We got to taste their Sapphire Oolong tea, which is only available at this place in the whole world. Afterwards we continued to the tea factory. Inside the factory our guide showed us the process from tea-leaves plucked in their grounds, into ready tea sold by the box. Then we got an opportunity to taste all of their teas and buy from their selection.

To conclude our last night in Matara, we drove to Unawatuna to eat dinner. We have had an amazing time exploring Matara and are very much looking forward to the next stop on our journey, which is Kandy!

Group 5 - Anja, Lea, Katrine & Ada

For many, the day started early at 6:30 am as we headed to the beach to snorkel with turtles and fish. It was a first-time experience for many, and a great way to start the day! We even had the chance to touch the turtles and feed them seaweed.

After we swam with the turtles, we attended lectures by Dr. Dushmanti Silva and Dr. Chandika, who shared valuable insights into the country’s challenges and recovery efforts.

Dr. Dushmanti Silva focused on women’s empowerment and the barriers they face in Sri Lanka. Many women are limited by cultural and social expectations, often depending on male family members for financial support. She explained that empowerment means giving women the freedom to make their own decisions, both in their personal lives and in the economy. Reducing discrimination and creating opportunities for women is essential for the country’s progress. Dr. Chandika’s lecture explored Sri Lanka’s economic recovery after the 2022 crisis. Years of overspending and mismanagement left the country in debt, but efforts are now focused on restructuring loans and improving government spending. He also emphasized the importance of diversifying industries to reduce reliance on vulnerable sectors like tourism and agriculture.

After lunch, we visited Institute for Development Strengths (INDECOS) in Matara. The organisation has been working in the Southern Province of Sri Lanka since 1991, and was created to support communities in need. They work irrespective of race, religion, caste and party politics. Also, they are registered as a Non profit organisation. Further, we learned about one of their current projects; Women Entrepreneurship Program (WEP), which started in 2005 to assist Tsunami affected women. The program has helped over 7600 women develop business skills and access loans, enabling them to build their own sustainable businesses.

Group 4 - Venera, Oliwia, Any, Kaja

After todays breakfast we headed to the University of Ruhuna where we had a second lecture about Sri Lanka’s economy and the economic crisis from 2019 to 2023. The lecturer, Dr Nandasiri Keembiyahetti, mentioned the large debts the country is in, especially to China, India and Japan which all have lended Sri Lanka money for various reasons. He also spoke of investments done by the Sri Lankan government with money loaned by other countries which went to non-income generating projects. This has in some cases, such as with China, led to Sri Lanka having to sell these projects back to the country which they lended the money from. Lastly, he summarized and differentiated between natural causes and man-made causes for the economic crisis. The natural causes included covid-19, global economic downturn and the Ukraine-Russia conflict. Man-made causes were structural problems in balance of payment, short vision of politicians, corruption and excessive money printing.

Later in the day we visited The Matara District Chamber of Commerce and Industry which is a vital institution dedicated to empowering businesses, fostering economic growth, and driving innovation across various sectors. It serves as a dynamic platform that brings together individuals, companies, and associations from diverse industries, including agriculture, manufacturing, services, finance, tourism, and construction. By offering membership benefits and specialized initiatives, the Chamber aims to strengthen the business ecosystem and facilitate sustainable development.

Through initiatives like the Export Development Hub, the Chamber supports businesses in entering and expanding into international markets. The Digital Marketing Hub empowers small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to harness digital platforms for growth, while tourism development efforts promote local attractions, cultural events, and eco-tourism. International relations management and trade fairs enhance global partnerships and provide members with opportunities to showcase their products and services to a global audience.

As mentioned previously in Prof. K.H. Nandasiri lecture about economic crisis and its influence on different sectors of the economy in Sri Lanka, tourism is one of the most important income for Sri lankas economy.

The Matara District Chamber of Commerce and Industry wants to focus on tourism and how they can raise tourism in Matara. While there are many tourists in southern Sri Lanka during high season, many restaurants and hotels remain silent during off peek season. This affects large numbers of the southern population, as tuktuk drivers, restaurants, hotels and others are heavily dependent on tourism. The Matara District Chamber of commerce and industry, therefor wants to figure out ways to promote southern Sri Lanka during off peek seasons. They have among other things been wanting to promote different festivals for tourists. Recently they have made “international food and cultural festival”in 2023.

In addition, the Matara District Chamber of Commerce and Industry provides essential marketing support to its members, many of whom face challenges in accessing computers and digital tools. This support helps bridge the gap, enabling businesses to effectively promote and develop their products despite these limitations.

We ended the day with a long-awaited swim in the Indian ocean at Polhena beach where the water was warm and the sunset beautiful☀️

We are looking forward to the rest of the trip!

Group 3 - Martine, Rebecca, Signe, Kristin