At 40 years old, Thamotharam Geetha has lived through challenges that few can imagine. Abandoned by her husband, she raises her daughter alone, relying on the modest income she once earned, just 5,000 to 6,000 rupees a month from selling sarbath drinks. It was hardly enough to cover daily meals, let alone her daughter’s educational needs.

Geetha’s struggles are rooted in her past. A direct victim of Sri Lanka’s post-war conflict, she was forced into battle at just 10 years old as an LTTE child soldier. During the war, a bullet injury left her with permanent nerve damage, robbing her of sensation in her right-hand fingers. Since then, she has adapted to doing all her work with her left hand.

Despite her painful history, Geetha has risen as a powerful voice in her community. With the CIRCLE Wing of Young Feminist Team’s support, she became an active member of the Women and Youth Advocacy Network, where her extraordinary leadership quickly stood out. Leading one of the network’s key initiatives, she worked with government stakeholders to identify 61 school dropouts in Kaluvanchchikudy villages 1 and 2, successfully re-enrolling 41 of them in school. Now, she is preparing to lead another campaign to combat the growing issue of illegal alcohol consumption in her community.

CIRCLE’s training and grants have also helped Geetha rebuild her financial independence. For the first time, she began banking transactions after receiving her cash grant. She also took part in nearly every training session, showing great capacity to absorb and apply new knowledge. Inspired by her, 15 other beneficiaries formed a group called “Neiythal.” They meet every Sunday to discuss issues, practice monthly savings with passbooks, and are planning to start a revolving loan system to strengthen each other’s financial security.

On her own, Geetha has expanded her business beyond sarbath drinks. She now sells short eats and stationery for schoolchildren, diversifying her income sources and steadily increasing her monthly earnings to 10,000–12,000 rupees. She also manages to save 1,500 rupees each month.

Today, Geetha is more than a survivor; she is an emerging entrepreneur, a mother securing her daughter’s future, and a community leader inspiring other women to find their strength and voice.

This initiative was led by the CIRCLE Wing of Young Feminist Team under the Peacebuilding Fund and SDG Fund, Vriddhi and UNOPS Sri Lanka.