The American Alumni Association (AAA) of Sri Lanka is transforming lives in Sri Lanka through its social service initiatives and invites all US Alumni to join up to help rebuild the country.
The American Alumni Association (AAA) of Sri Lanka was established in July 1988 as an independent organization. Initially set up to reminisce and share common experiences during their time in the USA, the AAA has since carried out various programs for both outbound as well as returning graduates and has been instrumental in encouraging Sri Lankans who have received their higher education in the United States to return to Sri Lanka and serve their Motherland by sharing their acquired knowledge and expertise.
During this time, the association has also set up a Trust – The American Alumni Foundation Trust (TAAFT) – and carried out various social service activities aimed at the underprivileged, supported educational programs, carried out mentorship sessions for those interested in foreign studies, and provided an excellent networking opportunity to those who value interacting with like-minded professionals.
Two of the most recent social service of the AAA includes Community Table and Community Harvest. Driven by generous donations of both members and their friends, the Community Table initiative was launched in May 2022 at St Anthony’s Church where 150-200 nutritious meals were served to the local communities who have been struggling as a result of these challenging times in the country. To date, the initiative has served nearly 2,000 meals. The Community Harvest initiative was unveiled in July 2022 together with the United States Embassy in Sri Lanka and the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) Urban Harvest project to promote a “farm-to-table” concept that would benefit vulnerable communities by growing fresh local produce on plots of land donated for development by the CMC. Since then, the initiative has helped harvest long beans, tomatoes, ladies fingers and eggplant and shared with the local communities.
Looking back at the Association’s initiatives, Sajeira Abeysekera – President of The American Alumni Association stated, “I am happy and proud to note that the most recent two initiatives of the AAA, Community Table and Community Harvest, have been very successful. With Community Table, we are looking to expand our distribution to different districts with the help of our members and their friends. We look forward to more American Alumni joining our organisation and getting involved with our initiatives that are benefiting local communities while also engaging in our local network for alumni.”
“I am always delighted to meet Sri Lankans who have studied in the US,” said U.S. Ambassador to Sri Lanka Julie Chung. “And I am so impressed with the work that the American Alumni Association here in Sri Lanka has undertaken to provide service and support to fellow Sri Lankans during this challenging time. Their service work embodies the American spirit of volunteerism and community.”
The American Alumni Association encourages all US Alumni to join the AAA and be a part of a prestigious club, network and give back to Sri Lanka. For further information and to join the Association contact them via 074-2644162, membership@aaasl.org, @aaasrilanka (Instagram) and www.aaasl.org
