Building resilience, one snack at a time: The story of Jayasumani Sivajothi

In Karaithivu, a coastal community in Sri Lanka’s Ampara District, the sea once brought devastation to the life of Jayasumani Sivajothi. The 2004 tsunami swept away not just homes and livelihoods but also her family’s sense of security. Financial struggles deepened when her husband returned from the Middle East without stable income, and the small three-wheeler they bought to survive only added to the weight of their debts.

But Jayasumani, now 48, refused to be defined by loss. “Resilience was my only choice,” she recalls. “I wanted to rebuild with my own hands.”

In 2011, together with her husband and daughter, she began making sweet and mixed nut products from locally available ingredients. At first, she supplied just one shop in her village. The snacks were an instant hit. Neighbours encouraged her to keep going, and soon Luxmi Products was born – built on trust, taste and the hard work of a rural woman determined to turn hardship into opportunity.

The real transformation came in 2020, Sivajothi joined an economic empowerment project through her Divisional Secretariat, supported by UN Women and Chrysalis, with funding from the Government of Japan. Through training in business planning, product development, financial literacy and marketing, she transformed her family business into a professional enterprise.

“For the first time, I learned how to plan, budget, and market professionally,” she says. “It changed everything.”

Her determination shone during the business pitching sessions, where she impressed an independent panel and earned in-kind support — including a Murukku processing machine that revolutionized her production capacity. With increased efficiency came growth: from just two helpers in the early days, she now employs six part-time workers, most of them women from her community.

“Working with other women gives me joy,” she smiles. “We share ideas, laughter, and strength. It feels like family.”

Today, Luxmi Products generates around LKR 100,000 (USD 330) in monthly income, helping her family recover from debt and build a sustainable future. Her products are now sold in her own Luxmi Snack Outlet in Karaithivu, with demand spreading even overseas through her neighbours’ networks.

Today, her business generates around LKR 100,000 (USD 330) in monthly income, helping her family recover and thrive. She has received awards for her entrepreneurial dedication and through the support of the project, she has proudly shared her journey on national television – her very first appearance. “I was nervous,” she admits, “but I wanted other women to see that if I can do this, so can they.”

Even during the challenges of COVID-19 and Sri Lanka’s economic crisis, she continued expanding her business, building partnerships with the Industrial Development Board and the Vidatha Training Centre. Her next goal is to secure SLS certification, a national product certification mark that would allow her products to reach leading supermarkets.

A model of resilience

“Sivajothi’s story shows that when women are given the right knowledge and resources, they don’t just rebuild their lives, they rebuild communities,” said Ramaaya Salgado, UN Women Sri Lanka Head of Office. “Women like Sivajothi are proving that with opportunity and support, local businesses can thrive even in the face of global crises.”

By using locally sourced ingredients and adopting sustainable practices, Sivajothi has turned her business into a model of climate resilience and women’s leadership. “The support I received was a turning point in my life,” she says. “It gave me the knowledge, confidence and courage to dream bigger,” she beams.

From the shadows of disaster, Sivajothi’s story is proof that when rural women are empowered, resilience grows – not only in families, but across entire communities.