Chathuranga Samarasinghe

Chathuranga Samarasinghe (MSc Food Technology) grew up in what she calls a paradise: Sri Lanka. With beautiful beaches and a rainforest just 15-30 minutes from her home, she developed a deep love for her homeland and compatriots. It is this love that drives her vision to bridge different fields and community. "The focus of my dream is to tackle sustainability in an interdisciplinary way," she says.

Sustainable foodsystems

Chathuranga, after completing her bachelor's degree in food technology, worked in the development sector for four years. "As a consultant, I was actually already working on sustainable development. I see that sustainability is still far from self-evident in the food and agriculture sector in Sri Lanka. There is little attention to sustainability, especially from policymakers, and there are very few opportunities to learn about it. Coming to WUR is a dream come true for me because it is the best place to learn about sustainability in food systems and how to make our processes more sustainable."

"I think sustainability in the agriculture and food sector is important because it has a direct impact on the well-being of people, the environment and future generations. By promoting sustainable practices, we ensure that we can meet the needs of today without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. It is about conserving our natural resources, reducing waste and promoting fairness and equity in food systems. Ultimately, it is about creating a healthier and more resilient world for all."

Back to Sri Lanka

It is very clear to Chathuranga that she will return to Sri Lanka after completing her Master's in Food Technology at WUR. "My goal is to go back to Sri Lanka and apply what I learn here, because we don't have that knowledge there yet," she says. Another reason for returning to Sri Lanka is that she feels she owes it to her people to return. Basic and higher education is funded by the Sri Lankan government, meaning most of her education was paid for by taxpayers. "My country is currently facing great challenges. Numerous educated people are emigrating because of poor living conditions, including many of my friends. When I say that I want to return to Sri Lanka after my studies, they ask me, 'Why?' It is difficult to survive here.' I then reply firmly that most of my education was funded by these people. I feel a responsibility to return and contribute something meaningful to my community."

Making a difference

Besides her studies, Chathuranga is involved in various NGOs and development projects in Sri Lanka and has been building bridges for years. "I don't intend to work in one sector. I want to be a bridge between academia, policy-making and the community itself. The reason I want to do NGO work and community projects is because it helps me to know what resonates with people. To make a difference in community development, I believe in combining academic learning with hands-on project work. This way, I can apply knowledge to real-world situations and make a meaningful impact."

"Thanks to the generosity of the Anne van den Ban community, I can bring invaluable education back to my country. It would have been impossible with my family's income to go to a university like this. When I heard that I received the scholarship, both my family and I were overwhelmed with joy; there were tears of happiness."