Empowering Change: The 3Zero House in Sri Lanka

The 3Zero House is Acted Sri Lanka’s hub for learning, innovation, and empowerment, championing the belief that youth should lead the way as agents of economic and social transformation. By uniting NGOs, government bodies, CBOs, SMEs, and most importantly, young changemakers, the 3Zero House is creating a collaborative movement rooted in its three core pillars: Zero Poverty, Zero Exclusion, and Zero Carbon.

First 3Zero House launching in Colombo

Launching of first 3Zero House Campus at the DS Office Vellawavelly. Batticaloa

Second 3Zero House launching in Vavuniya

Incubating Solutions for a Circular Economy

As part of the PLASTICS project, the 3Zero House launched a call for innovative enterprises in May 2024 to tackle the gaps in the plastics value chain. The mission? To find scalable, locally-led solutions in areas like alternative packaging, plastic reuse, and strengthening the 3R (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) approach.

From dozens of inspiring ideas, 8 groundbreaking businesses were selected for a 4-month hybrid incubation programme designed in partnership with top ecosystem players like RTI International, AOD Design Academy, NIA, LIIN, GLX, Yarl IT, and more to foster the connection and the expertise sharing. The programme empowers these businesses through capacity-building and tailored training to match their specific needs.

Meet the Cohort

This initiative proves that young entrepreneurs have the power to reshape industries and create sustainable change.

• ALKE is set on a mission to reduce waste one item at a time with beautifully crafted pieces of art jewellery. The studio processes household waste such as single-use PET bottles, polythene bags, and soda cans, collected directly from our communities intercepted before they are sentenced to landfills.
• Ample is a sustainable fashion brand catering to women’s clothing, In the age range of 18-55. Exclusively unique designs in the categories of formal, casual and party wear for a very affordable price range and quality materials, which is trending in the modern world of fashion. Specifically capturing the plus size requirements as well.
• Solocycle is committed to reducing plastic waste from shoe soles by recycling them into high-quality, affordable slippers, thereby tackling the plastic pollution generated by fast fashion.
• Invent of Minds is a company that has developed a business focused on providing office supplies made from bamboo as an alternative to single-use plastic items.
• Star Mushrooms is a pioneering women-led family business dedicated to the cultivation, sourcing, and distribution of mushrooms. Currently, they are advancing research on mycelium packaging— made of the root structure of mushrooms and sandusts.
• Teshvo is currently developing a biodegradable thin film made of seaweed and plant starch to replace single-use plastic thin film.
• Shells Ceylon is an eco-friendly cutlery & waffle cones production company that aims at reducing single-used and plastic cutlery, cups and bowls by using edible products.
• AGC Innovate is a company that produces “Plastic Modified Asphalt Concrete (PMAC),” which converts non-recyclable waste plastic (such as shopping bags, biscuit wrappers, and chocolate wrappers that are often neglected by public and private sectors) into an industrial raw material for use in asphalt paving for roads, highways, car parks, and yards.

Stay tuned for more updates as we take steps toward a plastic-free, sustainable future!

Shaping a Greener Future: The PLASTICS Project in Sri Lanka

PLASTICS: Promoting Long-term Approaches for a Sustainable, Transformative and Inclusive Circular Economy in Sri Lanka

Over 500,000 tonnes of plastic is imported to Sri Lanka annually, and it is estimated that 1.59 million tonnes of plastic waste overall is mismanaged. The linear take-make-dispose model of the plastic value and supply chain (V/SC) in Sri Lanka fails to capture the economic benefits of a more circular approach.

Over 48 months, the PLASTICS project funded by the European Unions, aims to improve economic development within the plastic V/SC through Small, Medium Enterprises’ (SMEs) resource efficiency, circular innovation, green finance, and sustainable waste management (SWM) frameworks in Western Province.

150 SMEs, 10 entrepreneurs, 50 Business Development Service providers, 10 financial and government institutions, and private sector actors will be supported to promote a cohesive environment for green business development. Businesses, particularly women-led ones, will be supported to boost value addition, improving overall competitiveness and cost-efficiency.

Boosting SME Growth with Business Plan Training

The Industrial Services Bureau (ISB) has successfully concluded seven comprehensive 5-day Business Plan Preparation Training programs for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) engaged in the plastic recycling value chain in Western Province of Sri Lanka. These programs, conducted under the EU-funded PLASTICS project, have led to the completion of 113 individual business plans by the end of November 2024, with an additional eight plans currently in progress. Another training session is planned for 15-20 SMEs later in December 2024.

The main goal of this initiative is to help project beneficiaries create strong 5-year business plans. These plans will focus on key areas like using resources efficiently, adopting cleaner production methods, promoting sustainable consumption, encouraging green investments, and ensuring social inclusion and gender equality. By taking this well-rounded approach, the initiative aims to support the circular economy by improving how plastics are collected, recycled, manufactured, and marketed.

Core Components of the Training

Participants learned to develop the following critical elements of a business plan:

• Vision, mission, and objectives.
• Marketing, production, and human resource plans.
• Financial planning, including ratio analysis.

This initiative not only supports business growth but also provides foundational documents for other project activities, such as accessing green finance, RECP (Resource Efficiency and Cleaner Production) assessments, QEMS (Quick Environmental Management System) certification, ISO 14001 compliance, and participation in buyer-seller forums.

Impact of the Training

The training had a significant impact on SMEs by providing them with practical knowledge to make structural improvements in their businesses. Participants also gained a clear understanding of profit and loss analysis, which has helped them make more informed decisions. As a result of the training, many SMEs have successfully secured bank loans and in-kind grant assistance using the business plans they developed.

The training sessions were held in Gampaha, Colombo, and Kalutara districts to make them easily accessible to participants. Expert trainers and business development specialists from ISB led the sessions, with ACTED staff managing the organisation and logistics.

This initiative marks a significant turning point for many SMEs, steering them toward sustainable, profitable operations aligned with circular economic principles.