Without Borders Sri Lanka

What Without Borders Sri Lanka does

Without Borders Sri Lanka is a nonprofit instructional design organization founded in April 2014 by Sakie Ariyawansa and Kavindya Thennakoon, headquartered in Dehiowita, Sri Lanka. The organization combines pedagogical knowledge from learning sciences with human-centered design to create accessible learning experiences for underserved communities. It operates a portfolio of programs including three Idea Labs (community learning centers delivering a proprietary five-stage curriculum covering English/communication, leading change, and creative/critical thinking, with skill levels from Settlers to Trailblazers), Inspire Lab (a leadership accelerator for at-risk young women focused on sexual/reproductive health, emotional resilience, and design-focused change), Ideator (a hackathon-style design thinking accelerator for youth aged 14-19 implemented in partnership with Sri Lanka's Ministry of Education), an E-Learning YouTube series in Sinhala and Tamil with English subtitles, and the Reimagine Learning webinar series. To date, the organization reports 3,000+ learners impacted, 430+ classroom sessions conducted, and 80+ teachers trained.

Name

Without Borders Sri Lanka

Legal name

Without Borders Sri Lanka

Website

https://withoutborders.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Without Borders Sri Lanka is a nonprofit instructional design organization founded in 2014 that delivers accessible English, leadership, and social-emotional learning programs through community learning centers, hackathons, e-learning content, and CSR partnerships for underserved youth and young women in Sri Lanka.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Educational Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (61171), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Education Access & Quality (International Development) (BPAGABAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Education Systems & Skills Technical Assistance (BPADAEAI), Education, Skills & Workforce Development Aid Programs (BPADABAE)

Keywords

• Instructional design services
• Community education programs
• Leadership development training
• Social-emotional learning
• Youth education initiatives

Headquarters

HQ city

Dehiowita

HQ country

Sri Lanka

HQ region

Asia

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. CSR Partnership Projects: Partnerships with corporations (like Iluka Resources) to implement community-based educational projects. Without Borders handles teacher recruitment, training, monitoring and project administration.
2. Volunteer and Donation Based: Idea Labs operate on voluntary basis. The organization runs on volunteer support and external partnerships.
3. Training and Curriculum Licensing: Training other organizations to set up and run their own Idea Labs. First partnerships with SocialService.lk and The Warehouse Project to incorporate their curricula.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Without Borders Sri Lanka is an instructional design nonprofit that designs and delivers accessible, community-based learning programs in rural and semi-urban Sri Lanka. Its core offerings include physical learning centers (Idea Labs), a leadership accelerator for at-risk young women (Inspire Lab), a Design Thinking hackathon for youth (Ideator), corporate CSR partnership project delivery, an E-Learning video series, and a webinar series on reimagining learning, health, and technology. Programs span language learning, leadership development, social-emotional learning, digital literacy, civic education, and creative/critical thinking.

Product overview

Without Borders Sri Lanka is an Instructional Design company offering educational programs through multiple distinct initiatives. The core product portfolio includes Idea Labs (learning centers with a five-staged curriculum), Inspire Lab (leadership accelerator for young women), Ideator (hackathon-style accelerator for youth), CSR Partnership Projects (corporate community initiatives), E-Learning Series (YouTube video content with activity packs), and Reimagine Learning Webinars. The organization also partners with Tilli, a Stanford-based social-emotional learning tool. These programs work together to create impactful and accessible learning experiences across Sri Lankan communities, focusing on language learning, digital literacy, civic education, creativity, and upskilling.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Idea Labs Physical learning centers where educators and learners experience cutting-edge learning tools and pedagogies. Each Idea Lab delivers a five-staged curriculum focused on communication skills (English), leading change, and creative and critical thinking, with learners divided into five skill levels: Settlers, Explorers, Innovators, Transformers, and Trailblazers. Operated with volunteer teachers. Three centers currently run in Deraniyagala, Maradana, and Liberia.
• Inspire Lab One-year leadership accelerator focused on sexual reproductive health, emotional resilience, violence awareness, and design-focused change. Targets young women from at-risk and vulnerable communities to become change agents. First cohort of 40 participants in Colombo; 400+ total participants trained and graduated across cohorts.
• Ideator Three-day hackathon-style accelerator equipping young people aged 14-19 with creative skills in leadership and advocacy. Builds a Design Thinking mindset through Design Thinking process, team-building, empathy mapping, and confidence building sessions. Implemented in partnership with Sri Lanka's Ministry of Education.
• CSR Partnership Projects End-to-end delivery of community-based educational projects for corporate CSR partners. Without Borders handles teacher recruitment, training, monitoring and project administration. Includes teacher training programs, leadership sessions, and workshops for children and parents. Delivered for partners such as Iluka Resources (13 schools, Puttalam district, 38 volunteer teachers recruited after 5-day training).
• E-Learning Series E-learning video series covering topics from Inspire Lab (sexual and reproductive health, violence, emotional wellbeing). Launched as 1-2 minute videos on YouTube, accompanied by activity packs with worksheets and support materials. Available in Sinhala and Tamil with English subtitles.
• Reimagine Learning Webinar Series Webinar series focused on re-imagining learning, health, and technology, hosted by Kavindya Thennakoon. Launched in partnership with Sri Lanka Design Festival and Academy of Design (AOD).

Quantifiable outcome

• 3000+ learners impacted across the world
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and flagship.

• Academy of Design (AOD)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Partnered with Sri Lanka Design Festival and AOD for 'Reimagine Learning, Health and Technology' event series. Kavindya Thennakoon hosted conversations on Reimagination covering Learning, Healthcare, and Technology domains.
• Rotaract Club of IITminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2021Organized 'Women With Wings' online event for International Women's Day 2021. Without Borders was invited as panelist with Sakie Ariyawansa conducting a session on gender stereotyping, violence, and discrimination.
• The Warehouse ProjectflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Partnership to incorporate Idea Lab curricula into programs run by The Warehouse Project in Maradana. Students from Idea Labs also assigned organizational tasks at The Warehouse Project.
• Iluka ResourcescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Teacher Training Project partnership with 13 schools in Puttalam district, Wanatawilluwa divisional secretariat. 38 volunteer teachers recruited after a 5-day training program. Without Borders handled administrative tasks including teacher placement, salary payments, monitoring and evaluation.
• SocialService.lkflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018First partnership to train another organization to set up and run their own Idea Labs. Without Borders shared learnings, resources, and training expertise.
• SammuthanaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization for Inspire Lab program implementation.
• Sri Lanka UnitesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization for Inspire Lab program implementation.
• MAS InnovationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvided venue support for Inspire Lab training program in Colombo.
• Ministry of Education Sri LankaflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerIdeator hackathon program implemented in partnership with the Ministry of Education. Pilot phase part of broader initiative to integrate program content into local curricula across all Sri Lankan schools.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• BRAC: Largest development NGO in the world, with major education programs across South Asia including Bangladesh, Myanmar, and Sri Lanka. Comparable as a broad incumbent operating community-based learning centers and youth leadership programs in similar low-income contexts.
• Pratham Education Foundation: One of the largest NGOs in South Asia delivering education access programs to underserved children in India and neighboring countries. Directly comparable mission (education access, supplemental learning, English/communication skills) and similar community-led operating model.
• Room to Read: Global education nonprofit focused on literacy and girls' education across South Asia and Africa. Comparable as a larger incumbent in the same international development / education access space, with a more mature funding base and broader geographic footprint.
• Teach For All: Global network of independent partner organizations tackling educational inequity through leadership and teacher development programs. Comparable model around developing leadership capacity in underserved communities; offers Without Borders potential network partner for scaling.
• Asia Foundation: International development organization operating programs across Asia including Sri Lanka on governance, education, and youth leadership. Comparable as a broad incumbent with a youth-leadership and education portfolio overlapping with Inspire Lab and Ideator.

Emerging players

• 1000 Schools Foundation: Sri Lankan nonprofit building schools and digital learning infrastructure for rural and plantation communities. Comparable as a smaller emerging player in the same underserved-community education access niche within Sri Lanka.
• Liger Leadership Academy: Cambodia-based leadership academy providing innovative education to bright students from low-income backgrounds. Comparable as a small, mission-driven emerging player running alternative, design-thinking-based curricula similar to Without Borders' Ideator program.

Regional players

• Sarvodaya: Sri Lanka's largest community development NGO operating community-based education, youth, and empowerment programs nationwide. Directly comparable as a domestic peer pursuing education access and community-led development in the same villages and districts where Without Borders operates.
• Gammadda: Sri Lankan nonprofit media and community empowerment initiative running rural community development projects. Comparable as a domestic peer targeting rural Sri Lankan communities, though focused more broadly than Without Borders' education focus.

Direct peers

• Teach For Sri Lanka: Sri Lankan fellowship placing high-potential graduates into underserved schools as teachers and leaders. Directly comparable as a domestic peer addressing education access and leadership development for youth from disadvantaged communities in the same country.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/withoutbordersl
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCuhyu5Sv4HqyAyA6JZZzncg
• Facebookfacebook.com/withoutborderslk
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/without-borders-sri-lanka

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Without Borders Sri Lanka