Founded in 1958 by Dr. A.T. Ariyaratne, Sarvodaya has come a long way from its early beginnings in one rural village, growing, year after year, into Sri Lanka’s largest and most broadly embedded grassroots development network. The Sarvodaya Shramadana Movement is an unique people’s self-help organization inspired by the Gandhian ideals of truth, non-violence and service for all. Sarvodaya seeks no poverty and no affluence society in Sri Lanka through an integrated, holistic approach to development which includes spiritual, moral, cultural, social, economic and political development. Today, the Sarvodaya Movement has a proven history of exceptional accomplishments, a strong organizational structure, and a formidable outreach which encompasses more than 15,000 villages across all of Sri Lanka’s regions and ethnic groups. Incorporated by a Parliament Act No. 16 of 1972, Sarvodaya is supported by several specialist units such as Sarvodaya Women’s Movement, Sarvodaya Legal Services Movement, Sarvodaya Economic Enterprise Development Services and Sarvodaya Shanthi Sena (the Peace Brigades). In addition to 26 district offices Sarvodaya operates through 10 Development Education centers, 6 Multi-Purpose community Centers and 10 Sarvodaya Regional Resources Centers to serve more than 5,200 Community Based Organizations operates under the patronage of Sarvodaya across the country which are termed as ‘Sarvodaya Shramadana Societies’.