Jessica Leas
Environment Program Adviser

Originally from: USA

Base in Sri Lanka: Sewalanka Head Office in Boralesgamuwa

Length of time at Sewalanka: Seven months

Life before Sri Lanka: I worked for various non-profits in the U.S. advocating for non-motorized trails, working toward the environmentally sound destruction of weapons of mass destruction and on wildlife issues. Almost all of my international experience has been in the former Soviet Union. I taught English for two years in Kazakhstan and spent several years on the chemical weapons project in Russia while also doing some environmental education work in Belarus and Ukraine. For my Master’s degree, I reassessed the borders of a national park in Indonesia to ensure adequate land to protect the biodiversity, while still providing the means for a high quality of life for the surrounding communities.

Role at Sewalanka: I was hired to provide advice and assistance in ensuring the sustainability of Sewalanka’s livelihood projects. We have a staff of six people in Boralesgamuwa who provide assistance and leadership on environmental issues to the rest of the organization. I provide guidance to this staff, while also disseminating information on various environmental issues that are pertinent to the problems facing Sri Lanka. Our projects include eco- and community-based tourism, mangrove restoration, sustainable agriculture and handicraft production.

Path to Sewalanka: I really wanted a more direct impact on environmental issues. In my last job my primary responsibility was proposal and report writing. When applying for jobs I was most interested that they have a community impact and were not in the former Soviet Union. As a wildlife lover I was very excited by the Sewalanka position as Sri Lanka is a major biodiversity hotspot and has many interesting, endemic species.