Our Journey
From a single act of compassion to a national movement for healthier communities and a greener planet.
The story of Save a Life began with a simple act of compassion.
As a young volunteer, Rakulan Kandasamy regularly donated blood to help patients in urgent need. Through these experiences, he witnessed the critical shortage of voluntary blood donors and the challenges hospitals and families faced in finding blood during emergencies.
Inspired by these experiences, he recognized the need for greater public awareness and stronger community participation in voluntary blood donation. In 2014, he founded Save a Life to promote voluntary blood donation, organize blood donation camps, conduct public awareness programmes, and encourage young people to become active volunteers serving their communities.
What began as a grassroots initiative focused on saving lives through blood donation has since evolved into one of Sri Lanka's leading youth-led non-profit organizations, working across climate action, health promotion, child and youth development, gender equality, economic empowerment, peacebuilding, sustainable livelihoods, and humanitarian response.
Today, Save a Life continues to work with communities, governments, development partners, academic institutions, civil society organizations, and volunteers to create healthier communities, protect the environment, and empower people across Sri Lanka.
A Decade of Action
Key milestones that shaped Save a Life from a single blood donation camp into a national movement for people and planet.
A Movement Begins
Inspired by his personal journey as a voluntary blood donor, Rakulan Kandasamy founded Save a Life with a vision of building a community where no patient would suffer due to the lack of blood donors. The organization began by promoting voluntary blood donation, organizing blood donation camps, conducting awareness programmes, and mobilizing young volunteers to support hospitals and patients in need.
Expanding Our Vision
Recognizing the growing environmental challenges affecting communities and inspired by the Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement, Save a Life expanded its mission beyond health to include climate action, environmental conservation, and sustainable community development. This marked the beginning of a broader commitment to creating healthier people and a healthier planet.
Building a Strong Foundation
Save a Life was officially registered under the Social Service Act of Sri Lanka, strengthening its governance, accountability, and institutional capacity. This milestone enabled the organization to build strategic partnerships and expand its programmes across multiple sectors.
Standing with Communities During COVID-19
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Save a Life rapidly mobilized its volunteers to support hospitals and vulnerable communities by distributing medical supplies, protective equipment, food, and other essential relief items. The organization demonstrated the power of volunteerism and community solidarity during one of the most challenging periods in recent history.
Growing Our Impact
As community needs continued to evolve, Save a Life diversified its work across climate action, health promotion, child and youth development, women's empowerment, sustainable livelihoods, human rights, peacebuilding, and humanitarian assistance. During this period, the organization also strengthened partnerships with government institutions, universities, civil society organizations, and international development partners.
Strengthening National and Global Partnerships
Save a Life continued to expand its national and international partnerships while implementing innovative programmes that contribute to sustainable development and community resilience. The organization increased its engagement in environmental restoration, health promotion, youth leadership, and humanitarian response, while actively participating in regional and global dialogues on climate action and sustainable development.
Creating Lasting Impact
Today, Save a Life is a nationally recognized youth-led non-profit organization supported by more than 1,500 active volunteers working across Sri Lanka. Through its programmes, projects, and initiatives, Save a Life continues to create measurable social and environmental impact while empowering communities to build a healthier, greener, and more sustainable future.
Creating Lasting Impact
Together with communities and partners, Save a Life has achieved measurable results across health, environment, and community empowerment.
Our journey is far from over.
As communities face increasing environmental, social, and humanitarian challenges, Save a Life remains committed to developing innovative, community-led solutions that improve lives and strengthen resilience.
Guided by our vision of "Towards a Healthy and Eco-centric Future," we will continue to inspire volunteerism, empower young people, build strong partnerships, and create lasting impact for people and the planet.
Together, we are building healthier communities, protecting our environment, and creating a better future for generations to come.