When Sri Lanka’s political and economic crisis exploded in 2022, economist Anushan saw firsthand how bad government decisions could devastate ordinary lives. As fuel, food, and medicine ran short, poverty spiked, many people died and trust in leadership collapsed. For him, the crisis made visible what had been hidden for years—how poor financial management and lack of transparency could push millions into hardship.
Determined to change that, Anushan found his role as both researcher and bridge-builder with Verite Research. Through our EU-supported work, he helped train community organizations across the country—many working for the first time on economic issues—showing them how to read budgets, track spending, and use the Right to Information law. Today, there are new budget lines for mental health, a newly adopted Public Financial Management Act and greater hope for Sri Lanka’s future.
This story was produced with the financial support of the European Union.