About Programs Fellowship News Calendar
Seroshi Nandasiri believes that “putting money into women's hands” is the first step towards a more equal society
Photo Credit: Katrin Kerschbaumer
Seroshi Nandasiri is the founder and chair of the Women's International Foundation, a social service organization that supports the empowerment of women in Sri Lanka.
Seroshi spent years in corporate leadership management before finding her fulfillment as a social justice activist. Her experience as a divorced single mother in the patriarchal climate of Sri Lanka has inspired her work for the past decade. She described the difficult journey as “transformational”, saying that “the process shook my entire system, but it was also my moment of transformation. I made a pledge to prove to myself how strong I can be. My perspectives changed in the way I saw things within my community and the contrast between my colleagues who were suffocating because they desperately held on to gender and social norms."
Seroshi built an empathy-based community for women with similar backgrounds. Without intending to, she became a source of motivation and inspiration for women who were seeking to rebuild their lives. Soon, the small circle expanded into a full-fledged nonprofit organization, Women's International Foundation (WIF), which carries out activities like structural interventions and knowledge sharing for women in rural areas of Sri Lanka.
Through her work at the Women's International Foundation, Seroshi supports women in small and medium-sized enterprises to gain access to capacity building, coaching, mentorship, and networking to help them establish, grow, or sustain their businesses. Through her work, Seroshi has faced numerous challenges, including being labeled with derogatory names. She explained that “in Sri Lanka when you are very vocal about advocating for women's rights, society immediately classifies you. They decide that you're either a bitter feminist, divorcee, jobless, or simply running for a political position- there is no middle ground. As someone who left a marriage, my social status as a single mother canvassing for women was always met with strong antagonism and opposition."
Rather than be deterred, she turned the antagonism into fuel by building partnerships and expanding her impact. When asked about what leadership means to her, Seroshi reflected on her unique understanding that "Leadership to me is self-leadership, which also means taking personal accountabilities for all your decisions and actions. You don't blame any other person. You don't get caught in the victim loop."
Starting in Sri Lanka, Seroshi commits to shaping a better world by challenging gender norms. She believes that “women become vulnerable when they can't make their own decisions and when they can't put their decisions into action." Therefore, she is leveraging economic empowerment schemes as a tool to prevent financial abuse experienced by women who do not conform to social expectations of “perfect womanhood”.
Seroshi summarized the impact of her work by saying, “When you put money into a woman's hand, she becomes economically independent, her vulnerabilities go down drastically, and that money also trickles down to her family. There is a ripple effect. This is what I do, and this is my gift, my contribution, and my footprint. To Sri Lanka and the world."
Seroshi’s dedication to female empowerment through the Women's International Foundation is creating a positive ripple effect, challenging gender norms, and promoting economic empowerment, making her a powerful force for change in her community and beyond.
Seroshi Nandasiri is part of the inaugural cohort of Fellows in the KFAS-Salzburg Global Leadership Initiative. This year’s cohort focused on the theme of "Uncertain Futures and Connections Reimagined: Connecting Generations". We talked to her during the first in-person gathering of KFAS-Salzburg Global Leadership Initiative Fellows from October 9-13, 2023, at Schloss Leopoldskron in Salzburg, Austria.
The KFAS-Salzburg Global Leadership Initiative is a multi-year program that annually brings together an international, intergenerational, and interdisciplinary network of Korean and global thought leaders to create new connections and tackle global challenges.