Sri Lankan creatives host cook out to raise money for vulnerable families
Creatives from the Sri Lankan diaspora are joining forces to throw a fundraiser for vulnerable communities in the country.
Following the launch of Resilience: Recipes from the Sri Lankan Diaspora, a downloadable charity cookbook, the people behind the project will be hosting a fundraiser on September 17, at Avlon Cafe in Juno Way, South Bermondsey.
The event will include snacks made by Paradise, a Soho-based contemporary Sri Lankan restaurant, music and performances to raise further funds for vulnerable communities in Sri Lanka.
The Resilience: Sri Lankan Cookout Fundraiser will also offer a lunch experience, with Sri Lankan meal-kit business, Hop & Roll, and Sri Lankan food and beverage company, Pol Boy, putting on a spread that includes fresh hoppers – a type of pancake or noodle – and a selection of curries.
For those interested in Sri Lankan culture, Mehala Ford, Founder of Friday Sari Project – a fashion brand that specialises in Sari’s – will host a Learn to Drape workshop, exploring the art of wearing a sari in various modern and traditional styles.
Later on in the day a curated lineup of DJ sets and live musical performances will take to the stage to keep the party going.
Singer-songwriter Arjun, hip-hop producer Silent Engine, and self-described “genre-less” artist Nush will perform live followed by DJ sets from nangi and My Panda Shall Fly who will explore sounds from traditional Sri Lankan Baila to UK dance music.
A recent survey by Save the Children revealed that half of Sri Lankan families are struggling to provide enough food for their children.
To address this issue, 100 per cent of the profits from ticket sales will be donated to Community Meal Share, an initiative dedicated to bridging the gap between the privileged and underprivileged in Sri Lanka.
The Resilience project has already raised 500,000 Sri Lankan rupees, equivalent to providing 1,700 meals to a community of 130 people through its digital cookbook campaign.
For more information and tickets visit: Resilience: Sri Lankan Cookout Fundraiser Tickets, Sun 17 Sep 2023 at 12:00 | Eventbrite
From left, Mahela Ford, founder of Friday Sari Project, nangi, DJ and Rosheana Olivelle, founder of Hop & Roll (Picture: Resilience: Sri Lankan Cookout Fundraiser)