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The Sarvodaya Shramadana Movement in Sri Lanka is one of the most successful self-help organizations in the world. It is based in the universal awakening of people and society, to create a just and hunger-free world.

Unless social change is brought about by people who are changed and uplifted in their hearts, they will merely be exchanging one set of problems for another, exchanging injustice for injustice, terror for terror and hatred for hatred.

-Sarvodaya worker Jehan Perera

 

The Sarvodaya Shramadana Movement takes a spiritual approach to rural development, which links Gandhian philosophy with Buddhist philosophy. Sarvodaya’s aim is to create a no-poverty, no-affluence society based on a spiritual reawakening in individuals. The movement is led by one of South Asia’s most inspiring leaders, Dr. Ahangamane Tudor Ariyaratne (right). In 1958, Dr. Ariyaratne organized a "gift of labor," taking a small group of young teachers and students to a Shramadana camp in a poor village. From this small study-service project, Sarvodaya burgeoned into an independent development and reconstruction movement. Sarvodaya broke ground when it began, by listening to the people and rejecting the top-down charitable approach that fosters dependency. It offers the model of holistic, bottom-up development in which Ariyaratne says, the individual’s mental make-up, and the social environment in which he lives are both undergoing revolution. Sarvodaya is active in over 10,000 villages in all regions of the country, and commands services of hundreds of thousands of volunteers and trained workers. Women are deeply involved in the movement—composing as many as 75% of Sarvodaya voluntary workers near the movement’s onset.

The meaning of Sarvodaya Shramadana Movement

• The name Sarvodaya Shramadana Movement has deep meaning.

• The term Sarvodaya, coined by Gandhi, means "Universal Awakening."

• Sarvodaya encourages awakening and liberation as a two fold process - it should bring change in the inner person as well as the outer structures of society.

• This incorporates spiritual, moral, cultural, social, economic and political development.

• According to the Sarvodaya ideology, any development effort which concentrates on only one of these factors while neglecting the others is doomed to failure.

• Shramadana means the voluntary sharing of time, resources, thoughts, energy and labor.

• Movement stands for the dynamism and momentum of people motivated from within. It draws on popular support that is essential for successful and sustainable development and change on a national level.

• Dr. Ariyaratne believes that the key to social change lies in every individual. Only through inner transformation can the outside world change.

• In order to identify targets for progress in the villages, Sarvodaya worked with 660 village people to create a Ten Basic Needs Program. Each of these needs has been subdivided and detailed, making 167 items all together.

• The Program is designed to be a self-analysis tool, that calls forth people’s mobilization for joint action.

 

The Ten Basic Needs are: A clean and beautiful environment A clean and adequate supply of water Minimum clothing requirements A balanced diet A simple house to live in Basic health care Simple communication facilities Minimum energy requirements Total education Cultural and spiritual needs

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