Saara nilla is a permaculture demonstration site on an urban plot, located in Colombo 5. Buildings have been constructed using sustainable architecture practices and salvaged materials.

We invite our local community and like-minded people to join us. In exchange for volunteering to help run our kitchen, garden, and English language programmes, participants will have access to excellent educational resources onsite and fresh organic produce from the garden.

 We hope to supplant charitable giving with acts of reciprocity like-

* BARTERING- I  will give you 4 eggs for some hose pipe to water the garden
* TIME BANKING-I  will weed & water the garden for 2 hours on a Saara Nilla reconditioned laptop
* SKILL SWAPPING-I will fix your bicycle if you will give me a haircut

This is to safeguard the dignity of all our participants equally.

The site comprises 3 key elements-

1. A COMMUNITY KITCHEN – We will be generating 2 lunches per week for an estimated 75 people per day. The ingredients for our lunch programme will be grown in our garden.
2. A PERMACULTURE VEGETABLE GARDEN & ESPALIER ORCHARD – The garden is entirely edible and stocked with vegetables, fruits, herbs, and edible flowers which are grown using permaculture methods.
3. LIBRARY & READING ROOM – which is fully equipped to function as an English Language Acquisition Centre (ELAC) which will provide children with books, storytelling sessions, and screened animations. A reconditioned laptop library will allow participants use of Saara Nilla laptops on a time banking basis. Payment will be in kind, with tasks to help maintain functions of the site.