MLH on social sustainability with AOD's Design for Sustainable Development project

Mount Lavinia Hotel (MLH) purchased custom-designed hotel range produced by the North- Palmyrah artisans working at the Palmyrah Development Board Centres in Jaffna and Mannar.

MLH has become a part of another project that supports social sustainability.

This project, Design for sustainable Development (DFSD) which provides stable livelihoods for artisans in rural areas in Sri Lanka, was initiated by the Academy of Design (AOD) under the re-awakening projects of the Ministry of Economic Development.

DFSD is currently run by the Palmyrah Development Board (PDB) under the Ministry of Traditional Industries. The project helps artisans and communities engaged in craft through design, product development while connecting high-end clienteles such as the Mount Lavinia Hotel with artisans through large quantity production orders.

Artisans from Jaffna Pungudutivu Island and Mannar came to the Mount Lavinia Hotel early this week, to hand over the completed order of Palmyrah products to the hotel.

General Manager of Mount Lavinia hotel, Anura Dewapura, accepted the products. The 'Mount Lavinia hotel has always been a firm supporter of ecological and social sustainability and has made it an integral part of the corporate value system.

We were delighted to place an order for the products made by these artisans, not only because it helps to establish better livelihoods for them, but also because their new products are specifically designed for our purpose and curated by the project set up by AOD which makes the entire project feasible.

I'm honoured to accept the delivery of these products from the artisans themselves, said Dewapura.

, Managing Director of AOD, Linda Spledewinde said this marks the beginning of the involvement of Sri Lanka's hospitality industry with rural livelihood development and thereby becoming a part of the national development agenda. We're confident that other leaders in the hospitality industry will join hands with us.'

'Our Income has increased five-fold because of these orders AOD has worked with us very closely. From earning Rs. 8 and hour, we now earn Rs. 50 and hour.

This order from Mount Lavinia Hotel has helped us to entertain new vistas for future Artisans, a spokesman for the Jaffna Pungudutivu Island Palmyrah Weaving Centre said.

"We were only earning around Rs. 2,000 per month, but now because of these orders we earn Rs. 8,000 per month" Artisans of the Narivilikulam Centre, Mannar said.