Y Gro – Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka – Y Gro Dairy Development Project

Partners in Aid supports Y Gro (Pvt) Ltd, a Sri Lankan NGO working in the Jaffna region to help women-headed households build sustainable livelihoods through dairy farming.

The project began in 2021 in Koppay and Neerveli, empowering widows and single mothers affected by decades of conflict to earn a stable income from milk production. After successfully establishing and exiting from those sites, Y Gro is now expanding into two new villages in the Sandilipay Division under a three-year project running from 2024 to 2026.

The current phase will support 45 women-headed families to establish or strengthen home-based dairy farms. Using Y Gro’s “Triple E” model — Entry, Empowerment, and Exit — participants receive training, veterinary support, and access to equipment such as sheds, Azolla tanks, and crossbreed cows. Farmers also learn to grow nutritious fodder, manage waste through biogas systems, and maintain animal health.

By the end of the project, 30 farmers will be operating independently as viable small enterprises, linked to local milk buyers such as Nestlé and YARLCO. Y Gro will also form farmer support groups and connect participants to government veterinary and agricultural services to ensure long-term sustainability.

The initiative not only improves family income and nutrition but also helps women gain confidence, decision-making power, and community respect. By investing in small-scale dairy farming, Y Gro and Partners in Aid are creating lasting pathways out of poverty.