WTWLanka
Paboda Maldamandeniya is a community-development professional with over five years of experience creating learning spaces that inspire curiosity and change across Sri Lanka. As Project Coordinator at WTW Lanka, a grassroots nonprofit that transforms learning into opportunity by combining education, digital skills, and creativity, she channels her passion for empowering women, youth, and persons with disabilities. Paboda has led initiatives that turn classrooms and communities into hubs of discovery, including AI-for-Educators workshops, youth leadership summits, mental health and resilience sessions, and programs that open doors for women to build skills, confidence, and leadership.
With the support of a $500 Giving Joy microgrant, WTW Lanka will expand its Career Talk: English for Employment program, a five-month virtual initiative empowering 50 young women, ages 18 to 25, with limited English skills to access meaningful employment. Through practical training in CV writing, interview preparation, workplace communication, and professional etiquette, participants gain the confidence and skills to pursue jobs, internships, and entrepreneurial opportunities. Each trained woman also shares her knowledge with peers and family, multiplying social and economic impact across communities and becoming a role model for others. Recorded sessions will be available on WTW Lanka’s learning platform and YouTube, extending access to even more learners.
The Giving Joy grant strengthens WTW Lanka’s capacity to deliver structured, scalable virtual programs and enhances the organization’s credibility in providing outcome-focused women’s empowerment initiatives. Through this program, WTW Lanka builds employable skills while fostering independence, confidence, and community leadership, creating lasting change for women, their families, and the wider Sri Lankan community. In total, the program directly benefits 50 young women, with ripple effects reaching their families, peers, and community members, ensuring that learning and opportunity extend far beyond the classroom.
