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Monday 08:30 - 16:30 Tuesday 08:30 - 16:30 Wednesday 08:30 - 16:30 Thursday 08:30 - 16:30 Friday 08:30 - 16:30

Women's Development Centre

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Women's Development Centre

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The Women’s Development Centre (WDC) is a NGO that provides supportive services on women empowerment

15/10/2026

Today, the children of the WDC's Community-Based Rehabilitation (CBR) School for Children with Disabilities participated in the annual Saraswathi Pooja held at the Katukalai Pillaiyar Kovil, Kandy.

Joined by their parents and teachers, the children took part in this special religious observance, receiving blessings and good wishes for their learning, growth, and future.

At WDC, we believe that every child deserves the opportunity to learn, experience, and participate in the rich cultural and religious traditions of our community. By celebrating special religious occasions throughout the year, we encourage our children to explore different customs and practices while fostering a sense of belonging, inclusion, and togetherness.

May the blessings of Goddess Saraswathi bring our children wisdom, knowledge, happiness, and success in all their endeavours!

19/08/2026

Strengthening community responses to gender-based violence

On 11–12 August, the Women’s Development Centre (WDC) conducted a two-day awareness programme on Case Management and Referral Mechanisms, bringing together 42 women leaders from 17 women’s rights organisations representing 13 districts across Sri Lanka: Galle, Ratnapura, Kandy, Ampara, Batticaloa, Puttalam, Kurunegala, Mannar, Vavuniya, Anuradhapura, Monaragala, Matale and Nuwara Eliya.

The programme provided participants with valuable knowledge on existing referral structures, including the Essential Services Package, strengthening their capacity to appropriately identify, respond to and address various forms of gender-based violence (GBV) within their communities.

By strengthening the knowledge and capacity of women leaders at the community level, we can contribute towards ensuring that survivors of GBV are better supported and connected to the services they need.

This initiative was made possible with the generous support of the Royal Norwegian Embassy.

11/08/2026

✨ Employee Highlight: Meet Ashwini ✨

Ashwini joined the Women’s Development Centre in 2018, beginning her journey at WDC Headquarters before moving to Sthree as Manager in 2023. Her time at Sthree sparked a passion for business, inspiring her to pursue a Master of Business Administration at the University of Peradeniya.

Through her work at WDC, Ashwini developed strong communication skills and gained a deeper understanding of the challenges women face, particularly through her experiences with the vocational training centre and WDC shelter.

Today, she brings that knowledge and empathy to Sthree. She takes the time to understand each entrepreneur, discover their strengths, and find ways to empower them. She treats Sthree as her own, putting her heart and 100% into everything she does.

Her colleagues know her as a manager who truly cares, not just about the business, but about the people behind it 🤍

04/08/2026

As we celebrate 40 years of the Women's Development Centre, we were honoured to gather on 31st July at our headquarters on Mulgampola Road to commemorate Founder's Day and pay tribute to our beloved founder, Mrs. Pearl Stephen.

The day began with a memorial service in remembrance of Mrs. Pearl Stephen, whose vision and dedication laid the foundation for WDC in 1986. Heartfelt tributes from her family and WDC staff reflected on her lasting legacy, followed by an interactive presentation celebrating the remarkable milestones of WDC's 40-year journey.

It was a special occasion made even more meaningful by the presence of former staff, members of Mrs. Pearl Stephen's family, members of the WDC Board, our dedicated staff, and representatives from our district women's forums. Guests also enjoyed a nostalgic exhibition of photographs capturing memorable moments throughout WDC's history, before sharing a delicious lunch prepared by our women's forums.

As we reflect on four decades of empowering women and strengthening communities, we honour the vision that started it all and look ahead with renewed commitment to building a more just, inclusive, and equitable future.

💜 Here's to 40 years of impact—and to the many more still to come.

03/08/2026

Thank you to everyone who joined us to celebrate this exciting milestone. Your encouragement and support mean so much as we continue our journey of empowering women through ethical enterprise.

If you're looking for beautifully handcrafted, ethical, and sustainable products with a meaningful impact, we'd love to welcome you to Sthree. Every purchase helps create opportunities for women entrepreneurs and supports stronger, more resilient communities.

🌐 Explore our collection: sthreestore.com
📍 Visit us at: 327 Peradeniya Road, Kandy

Shop with purpose. Empower women. Make a difference.

22/07/2026

Week of Legacy | 40 Years of WDC

Where it all began...

One of the earliest milestones in the Women's Development Centre's journey was the training of our first group of community volunteers in Primary Health Care and Nutrition.

This marked the beginning of a grassroots movement dedicated to understanding and responding to the needs of communities. Guided by the vision of our Founder, Mrs. Pearl Stephen, WDC began identifying and addressing the challenges faced by women, children, and persons with disabilities, laying the foundation for the organization's core programme areas.

From these first volunteers grew four decades of community-led action, empowerment, and lasting social change.

As we commemorate 40 years of WDC (1986–2026) and honour the legacy of Mrs. Pearl Stephen, we look back with gratitude at the people and moments that shaped our journey.

02/07/2026

The final four livelihood trainings under the UNDP Sri Lanka funded project, "Strengthening Protection and Shelter Services for GBV Survivors in Monaragala," have now been successfully completed for survivors of SGBV and women residing in the temporary shelter in Monaragala.

• 21 May 2026 – Carpets
• 05 June 2026 – Cutlet
• 11 June 2026 – Wick making
• 22 June 2026 – Candles

With these sessions, the planned series of six livelihood trainings has come to a successful close, providing participants with practical skills that can support future livelihoods and greater economic independence.

25/06/2026

Yesterday marked the successful conclusion of the Commonwealth of Learning (COL) funded “Empowering Women and Girls” project, implemented by the Women’s Development Centre (WDC). The final experience-sharing event brought together inspiring women leaders, partners, government representatives, and supporters to celebrate three years of collective action, learning, and transformation.

The event was honoured by the presence of Ms. Frances Ferreira from the Commonwealth of Learning, government officials, members of the WDC Board of Directors, representatives from women’s forums across Kandy, Matale, Nuwara Eliya, Monaragala, Ampara, Vavuniya, and Kilinochchi, and the WDC team.

The gathering reflected on the journey of the project through an overview of its achievements, powerful video stories shared by women’s forum leaders, inspiring speeches, and vibrant cultural performances by project beneficiaries.

The celebration concluded with an exhibition of creativity and empowerment, featuring stalls showcasing products, learning resources, games, and initiatives developed through the project.

Over the past three years, the project has strengthened women’s leadership, knowledge, and collective action, creating stronger networks of women working towards equality, inclusion, and positive change within their communities. 💜

A heartfelt thank you to all our partners, women leaders, beneficiaries, and supporters who have been part of this empowering journey.

12/06/2026

The quarterly Network of Women (NoW) meeting brought together WDC’s women-led partner organisations from across Sri Lanka for two days of reflection, learning, and collective action.

Held on 11th and 12th June, the meeting provided a valuable space for organisations to strengthen their capacities, share experiences, and identify ways to continue advancing gender equality and community empowerment.

The first day focused on strategic planning, supporting partner organisations to recognise the importance of having a clear vision, direction, and roadmap for sustainable organisational growth. Through shared learning and discussions, participants explored approaches to developing strategic plans that respond to the evolving needs of the communities they serve.

The second day created an opportunity for organisations to present their progress, discuss challenges, and share lessons learned from their ongoing work. These conversations strengthened peer learning, accountability, and collaboration within the Network of Women.

Through NoW, WDC continues to foster a strong network of women-led organisations that learn from one another, build collective strength, and work together towards creating safer, more inclusive, and empowered communities across Sri Lanka. 💜

06/06/2026

Women and girls are among those most affected by climate change, yet their voices are too often missing from climate decisions.

🎥 Watch the video and discover why women and girls must be at the centre of climate action: https://youtu.be/GOoMxWJAd0c

Address

#61, Mulgampola Road
Kandy
20000

Opening Hours

Monday	08:30 - 16:30
Tuesday	08:30 - 16:30
Wednesday	08:30 - 16:30
Thursday	08:30 - 16:30
Friday	08:30 - 16:30

Telephone

+940812234511

Website

http://www.womendev.org/

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