History & Objectives — SLWA Sri Lanka Women's Association UK
Founded 1949

History & Objectives

The SLWA has brought Sri Lankan women together in the UK for over 75 years. This is the story of how it began, how it grew, and what it stands for today.

1949 Year of founding
as Ceylon Women's Association
75+ Years of community
in the United Kingdom
1976 Year the Education Scheme
focus was established
The Beginning

Founded in 1949

Two women saw a need and built something lasting.

In 1949, Lady Evelyn De Soysa and Mrs Laurel Casinader recognised the isolation experienced by Ceylonese women living in the UK. There was no forum, no shared space, no community. They set out to build one.

The idea was encouraged by the then High Commissioner for Ceylon in the UK, Sir Oliver Goonetilleke, and received the personal endorsement of Ceylon's first Prime Minister, the Honourable D S Senanayake. His approval came with one condition: the organisation must remain entirely non-political.

The constitution they drafted opened membership to any woman aged 18 and over, living in the UK, with an interest in Ceylon. The requirement was simple: a wish to meet others. From the outset, the Association was non-political, multicultural, and multi-religious.

Co-Founder
Lady Evelyn De Soysa
Recognised the need for a community organisation for Ceylonese women in the UK and co-founded the Association alongside Mrs Casinader in 1949.
Co-Founder
Mrs Laurel Casinader
Worked with Lady De Soysa to draft the original constitution and establish the structure and values the SLWA still upholds today.
Approval was given for such a venture, on the understanding it would not be a political organisation.
Honourable D S Senanayake, First Prime Minister of Ceylon
Key Milestones

How the SLWA Grew

The Association grew from a social meeting group into a multi-faceted organisation with international affiliations, a registered charity, and an active membership community spanning 75 years.

The Patron of the Association has, from the outset, been the spouse of the High Commissioner for Ceylon — later Sri Lanka — in the UK.

SLWA Tradition since 1949
1949
Ceylon Women's Association Founded
Lady Evelyn De Soysa and Mrs Laurel Casinader establish the Association in London. Membership opens to women aged 18 and over living in the UK with an interest in Ceylon.
1949
International Affiliations Formed
The Association affiliates with the International Alliance of Women, the Commonwealth Countries League, the Women's Council, and through the High Commission with the International Social Services (now CFAB).
1972
Ceylon Becomes Sri Lanka
Following Ceylon's transition to the Republic of Sri Lanka, the organisation becomes the Sri Lanka Women's Association in the UK — the SLWA.
1976
Education Focus Established
The aims of the Association are formally extended to include a sharper focus on the education of girls and women in Sri Lanka, laying the groundwork for the Education Scheme.
1990
Associate Membership Introduced
A resolution is passed at the AGM inviting men and students to become Associate Members of the SLWA, broadening the community the Association serves.
1998
Education Scheme Registered as Charity
The SLWA Education Scheme is formally registered as a charity in England and Wales — cementing the Association's long-term commitment to funding education for disadvantaged women and girls in Sri Lanka.
2019
70th Anniversary
The SLWA marks 70 years since its founding, celebrating the occasion with its membership and receiving coverage in the Sunday Times Sri Lanka.
Today
Continuing into a New Chapter
The SLWA holds multiple events each year, maintains active international affiliations, and funds educational grants in Sri Lanka through its registered Education Scheme.
Community
An Open Membership

The constitution opened membership to any woman with an interest in Ceylon. Since 1990, men and students have been welcome as Associate Members.

Values
Non-Political from Day One

Non-political status was a founding condition. The SLWA has maintained this across all governments, all eras, and all affiliations since 1949.

Charitable Work
Welfare Fund & Disaster Relief

Profits from functions go to a Welfare Fund providing regular donations to charities in the UK and Sri Lanka. The SLWA also responds to appeals from areas affected by natural disasters.

How the Association Evolved

From Social Circle to Charitable Force

The original aim was simple: give Sri Lankan women a place to meet. What grew from it was far greater.

The influence and social standing of the founders enabled the Association to establish affiliations with major international women's organisations from its earliest years. Connections with the International Alliance of Women, the Commonwealth Countries League, and CFAB remain active today. Members participate in the annual CCL and CFAB fairs each year.

The main aim — to provide a forum for Sri Lankan women and their families to meet, establish goodwill, and build understanding between people of all nationalities — has remained constant. What changed over time was the depth and reach of the work.

Since 1976, the Association has placed particular focus on the education of girls and women in Sri Lanka. Functions held throughout the year generate funds for both a Welfare Fund, which supports UK and Sri Lankan charities, and the Education Scheme, which awards grants directly to students.

The registration of the Education Scheme as a formal charity in 1998 marked the maturation of that commitment — placing it under the governance of the Charity Commission for England and Wales, with trustees drawn from the SLWA membership.

What We Stand For

Our Objectives

The SLWA's objectives were set out in the original 1949 Constitution and have guided the Association ever since. They place community, equality, and international citizenship at the core of everything the SLWA does.

1949 Objectives unchanged
since founding
01
Community & Mutual Support
To provide facilities for Sri Lankan women and their families resident in the UK to meet each other for mutual discussion and assistance. The SLWA was founded on the principle of community — the belief that meeting together strengthens everyone in it.
02
Regular Meeting & Goodwill
To provide opportunities for members and their friends to meet regularly so understanding, goodwill, and co-operation may be established between people of many lands. This objective reflects the Association's multi-national, multi-cultural character from its earliest days.
03
Welcoming Guests
To arrange for members to meet guests from the UK and overseas. The SLWA has always seen itself as a bridge — between Sri Lanka and the UK, between its members and the wider community. Welcoming guests from both countries is part of that mission.
04
Civic Responsibility
To urge members to accept their responsibilities as citizens — to use their rights and influence to sponsor projects for the betterment of men and women without distinction of nationality, race, creed, or gender. This objective places the SLWA squarely in the tradition of international women's advocacy.
05
National & International Aid
To give national and international aid when and where appropriate, as decided by the Executive Committee. This objective has driven the SLWA's response to natural disasters, its support for UK and Sri Lankan charities through the Welfare Fund, and the Education Scheme's work funding students in Sri Lanka. It is the most expansive of the five objectives — and the one most visibly expressed in the Association's charitable activities.
Principle
Non-Political
Principle
Multi-Cultural
Principle
Multi-Religious
Principle
Open Membership
Join the Community

Be Part of the Next 75 Years

The SLWA welcomes women, men, and students with a connection to Sri Lanka. Annual membership starts from £5.

Join the SLWA About Us
Scroll to Top