about
our story
Founded in 2018, we created YALU as Sri Lankans living in the American diaspora to foster a space for youth like us to convene and celebrate our varied experiences. Whether or not you were surrounded by Sri Lankans during your upbringing, speak the native languages, or practice our diverse traditions, we believe you have a unique story that redefines what it means to be "Sri Lankan." We invite you to be one of our YALUs! - Anuk & Gunindu
our founders
Anuk Peliyagoda
Anuk was born in Sri Lanka and moved to the United States when he was 4 years-old. He recently finished his B.S. in Biological Sciences from UC Irvine and has a passion for environmental science and sustainability.
Gunindu Abeysekera
Guni was born in Sri Lanka and moved to the United States when he was 2 years-old. He recently finished his B.A. in Film & Media Studies from UC Irvine and is currently finishing his M.A. in Asian American Studies at UCI as well.
He has a passion for social-political activism through visual culture and the arts.
our programs
Currently, YALU is engaging in a pen pal program with Sarvodaya Shanti Sena, a celebrated non-profit in Sri Lanka. We have 60 participants, half of which exchange letters with their pen pal in Sinhala while the other communicates in English. Letter exchanges occur every-other month and new sign-ups will be released during our round of replies.
our values
In Sinhala, the word යාළු, pronounced "yalu," means "friends." Using this word, we created YALU to symbolize both our friendship and our vision for this organization, which are:
Youth
Though we all have varied experiences, we understand that youth, both on and off our island, are the key to the wellness of our communities and future.
Advancement
Both in terms of individual growth and the general understanding of "Sri Lankan" as complex and diverse, we believe everyone has the opportunity to learn and grow together.
Leadership
Through our various programs and collaborations, we encourage our YALUs to take initiative for themselves and their communities.
Unification
We know that there are Sri Lankan youth paving ways around the world, so YALU intends to create spaces and connections to unite our up-and-coming leaders.