Industry 4.0 Technologies for People’s Movement in Sri Lanka

People’s Movement in Sri Lanka has been very effective in a "Regime Change". With its recent #GotaGoHome campaign, the people’s movement was able to successfully remove an authoritarian leader in the form of an executive president, an entire government as well as the key policy makers of the government by mobilizing people’s power using non-violent methods in the year 2022. In the peak of the campaign, around 2 million Sri Lankans, 10% of the total population, actively joined the campaign.  However, the movement has not been able to achieve its second  objective of a real "System Change" in Sri Lankan society. Currently, the people’s movement is stagnated and looking for innovative solutions beyond protesting to sustain the movement as a non-violent one  for the final victory of the people. 

The priority and the focus of the current  phase of the people’s movement is building a new economic model which is people oriented and socially friendly. The model should be able to build an economy beyond the conventional expert-led economy. This will also provide a sustainable and locally found solution to current economic crisis faced by Sri Lanka. This is a key requirement of a real system change  as the  politicians and policy makers currently in power are trying only to reverse back to the original economic model mainly with  international barrowings and by cutting down the quality of life of the average citizens. 

An effective and a people-centric social and solidarity economic model will be a sustainable and inclusive solution demonstrated by the people’s movement in Sri Lanka for the betterment of every citizen including the most vulnerable groups of the society.This will affect the entire population in Sri Lanka as well as provide an inspiration to many developing countries around the world to re-orient their societies and economies to be people centric, sustainable  and socially responsible.  

Ousted by People Power: A Glimpse at Sri Lanka’s Popular #GotaGoHome Movement

#GotaGoHome: Now that Sri Lanka’s President Has “Gone Home”… What’s Next?

Highlights of the FabLanka's Talk on "Industry 4.0 for People's Movement" at GotaGoGama, Colombo, SL May 2022

Highlights of the "Final Push" on #GotaGoHome 9th July, 2022, Galle Face, Colombo, Sri Lanka 

FabLanka Foundation has been an active member of the People’s Movement in Sri Lanka from the beginning. In addition to participate at the various non-violent campaigns, we trained the activists to use Industry 4.0 technologies for the people’s resistance campaign for the regime change. 

Highlights of "How to Build a Solidarity Economy with Industry 4.0 to Sustain the People's Movement"

FabLanka is now preparing to use Industry 4.0 technologies in Phase 2 of the movement to support a real System Change in the country.The Foundation’s main contribution is to build a Social and Solidarity Economic (SSE) Model for Sri Lanka using digital technologies.

Digital Fabrication Labs (FabLabs) for Implementing Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Solidarity and Social Economy (SSE) in Sri Lanka

We have already applied this into real life  by using Industry 4.0 technologies into manufacturing and agriculture sectors.

Sri Lanka has  been a craft based manufacturing society for a long time. However, with the introduction of Open Economic Policies in 1970s, the country’s focus  on manufacturing has  declined over the years. According to World Bank, Sri Lanka’s current manufacturing share of contribution to national GDP is less than 20%. 

FabLanka Foundation (https://fablanka.org/) was founded on the vision of “Towards a Makers Society” in Sri Lanka. FabLanka  started the first Digital Fabrication Laboratory named FabLab Makandura to use mainly 3-D Printing technology to SME sector. FabLab Makandura has been operating as a platform for product development, training and an advisory service on digital transformation for local SMEs, community and public sector organizations. https://www.facebook.com/Makan...

In our solution, we will  train  the activists of the people’s movement at FabLab Makandura on Digital Manufacturing Technologies as a way of enhancing their abilities  to build a SSE Model for Sri Lanka. 

In addition to Digitatal Manufacturing, the Solution will also focus on  digitalization of the agriculture sector. In Sri Lanka, agriculture sector employs around 30% of the population but contributes only 7% of the GDP according to International Trade Administration (ITA) of the USA. The sector lags in productivity and the farmers do not get the real returns of their harvest.Therefore digitalization of agriculture sector in Sri Lanka will increase productivity. By adopting SSE business models, the living conditions of the farmers will also improve. 

FabLanka has already started an Agriculture Model Farm (Makandura Model Farm) by introducing Industry 4.0 technologies including IoT (Internet of Things), Drones and AI (Artificial Intelligence). Makandura Model Farm Our aim is  to transform agriculture sector using Industry 4.0 technologies. The Farm will act as a living lab for a national level SSE Model.

In our solution, we will use Makandura Model Farm to train and provide hands-on experience to activists on Industry 4.0 Technologies in agriculture sector. 

Our main target group will be the activists who have been engaged in #GotaGoHome people’s movement and who are interested in new skills beyond conventional methods of protesting. In addition, local community members, SME employees and local farmers will be our main beneficiaries.  As per now, their expertise are ignored or underutilized. By being participants in our projects, they can develop the skills, knowledge and abilities to use Industry 4.0 technologies for their regular work. This will help in enhancing their economic outcomes and take active part in managing the SSE activities in Sri Lanka. This will also provide them a set of tools and expertise for creating a real System Change in the country. 

SSE Model is naturally a local solution based on local resources and local expertise. We will work with global networks and digital technologies but solutions are mainly “home grown”. The local communities will become active members and decision makers of the new SSE Model. This will also hold the rural communities to empower themselves, improve their quality of life as well as live with dignity. Special provisions will be made to include war-affected people, single-family female leaders, people with special needs as well as LGBTQ community and other marginalized groups who actively contributed to the People's Movement in Sri Lanka. 

Our solution also provides skills and expertise for the young activists to build a new career in various professions. Some of the activists who participated at the 1st phase of the movement currently feel frustrated and disappointed as a Real System Change in the country has not happened as they expected. In addition, many employers do not recruit them labelling them as “Revolutionaries". Moreover, some have lost their previous jobs since they participated full-time in the #GotaGoHome campaign. Therefore, out training and skill developments will help them to improve their chances of finding new jobs and look for new livelihood opportunities even elsewhere. Our solution basically equips with valuable expertise for "Future of Work" anywhere. 

FabLanka Foundation is the pioneering organization which introduced and popularized Industry 4.0 technologies for socio-economic development in Sri Lanka. From our inception in 2016, We have conducted hundreds of programs across the country and reached every level of the society from the Prime Minister’s Task Forces to rural school children.

Introducing Digital Fabrication to Schools in Sri Lanka, Giriulla, Sri Lanka, Oct. 2015

FabLanka’s Industry 4-0 and 3-D Printing Demonstration to Prime Minister’s Task Force on Science & Technology, Dec. 2016

FabLanka Foundation is founded and managed by a team of Sri Lanka experts in the areas of computer science, manufacturing technology, project management, sociology and psychology, political science, development studies, international relations who are based in Sri Lanka, Europe and North America. FabLanka also has maintained a close working relationship with an extensive network of partnership institutions and organizations in Sri Lanka and internationally.

FabLanka Foundation, FabLab Makandura and Makandura Model Farm are staffed with local community members and volunteers who have sound knowledge on local issues and resources and equipped with global knowledge on various Industry 4.0 Technologies.

FabLanka Foundation participated and contributed a lot for the Phase 1 of the #GotaGoHome people’s movement and has built a high credibility and an extensive network of activists who are available to implement the proposed solutions.

FabLanka Foundation along with its partners  has been conducting regular training programs for the activists even after the Phase 1 of the campaign on the topics of non-violence resistance, strategic planning and on applying Industry 4.0 technologies  for people’s movement.  Our team is well trained to executive projects with new project management methodologies such as Design Thinking, System Thinking, Systems Engineering, we use up-to-date software, and IT tools for our work and projects.

We are applying to Solve with high enthusiasm due to several reasons. First, we incorporated FabLanka Foundation with the initial inspiration we got from FabLab Foundation which was started as an initiative of the academics at MIT. In Fact, FabLab Makandura modelled with any FabLab in the world which was originally initiated as a collaboration between the Center for Bits and Atoms at the Media Lab in the MIT. Therefore, applying to Solve, as another MIT program, is a logical step forward for us.

Introduction to FabLab Makandura, Sri Lanka

FabLanka Foundation as the pioneering not-for-profit social enterprise in Sri Lanka which introduces Industry 4.0 technologies to many social segments in the country has done “ many first times” technological break thoughts in Sri Lanka. Therefore, building a collaboration with Solve and its global network for us is useful for adopting global best practises in technological diffusion.  

Introduction to Industry 4.0 & 3-D Printing in Sri Lanka at National TV - June, 2017

We need financial, technical and advisory support to improve our work and scale up our solution. More importantly, we also want to gain an  international protection by being part of the Solve in order to face possible security threats in Sri Lanka by the anti-progressive political forces who oppose any form of System Change in the country. The high reputation of Solve act as a shield for us  against such threats if we become an awardee.

Finally, being a winner of Solve will provide us an easier access to more international and national support to scale up our Solution to cover entire population in Sri Lanka. 

Our solution is innovative in multiple ways. Firstly, Industry 4.0 Technologies are very novel in Sri Lanka for any socio-economic application. FabLanka as the pioneering organization which introduced the main ideas of Industry 4.0 and technologies such as 3-D Printing to Sri Lanka has “the first mover advantage” of adopting these technologies to real applications.

Introduction to Industry 4.0 to Sri Lanka- Setting the Agenda at JAGAAS Seminar ,Nov. 2017

Secondly, our main target audience for our skill development programs is the activists who have been engaged in #GotaGoHome people's movement. Unlike training normal youth under normal conditions, skill development of group of young leaders who actively provided the leadership in a regime change is campaign is challenging and complex. Therefore, it demands innovative delivery methods and teaching and training methodologies. 

Highlights of the Industry 4.0 Technologies for People's Movement by FabLanka Foundation, May 2022

Thirdly, SSE Model is an innovative approach in re-designing the economy as well as transforming the society. Finally, the application of Industry 4.0 Technologies to multi-sectors such as in education, manufacturing, SMEs as well as in agriculture is also an innovative approach. 

Presentation on FabLabs for Implementing SDGs in Sri Lanka , Yonsei University, South Korea, Feb.2019

Activists will be able to develop the skills, knowledge, abilities & their overall capacity to use Industry 4.0 technologies above their conventional practices by being participants at our programs. This will help in enhancing their technological skills, creativity, ability to collaborate, teamwork, entrepreneurship and take active part in co-creating a SSE model for Sri Lanka.

Our solution is a Civic Learning for very talented and dynamic group of young people using latest digital technologies by practicing highly interactive and experimental learning to build a very novel output of a new national economic model for Sri Lanka as a way of real system change.

Participants will be able to incorporate the skills gained through Fab Lanka training programs based on Industry 4.0 technologies, into their SME entities and farmlands if already they do have or start new ventures/farms. 

Project management methodologies such as Design Thinking, Systems Thinking, Systems Engineering, up-to-date software, and IT tools are also among our training materials.

3D printing, Printing with innovative or alternative materials, Numerical Control (NC) Technology, Automation and Process Control, and IoT are some of the technologies for the SME sector where training is provided as at present.

Our programs focused for the Agricultural sector, training includes Industry 4.0 and related technologies to better monitor and control growth levels, water and soil nutrients which leads to better environmental protection, water conservation and estimation of future needs of both water and nutrients. By incorporating Industry 4.0 technologies into agricultural practices, data driven solutions will help to monitor, estimate and control the plant needs and benefit through expected quality and volume levels of harvests. 

These practices demonstrate the type and the level of innovation incorporated into these sectors identified under our current operational status with available Industry 4.0 and related technologies in-house. 

This intended impact of the type, level and the number of training programs for the participants through the defined solution are to be evaluated in comparison to the present status of industrial and agricultural practices. These impact goals are to be visualized against current or traditional practices continuing without any such level of technological involvement or inputs.

Impact goals:

- Increase number of participants and training programs to a level of at least 10 programs per month. This could be implemented within next year and can continue in future.

- Increase the number of training programs to cover a range         of localities, divisions, provinces and to cover different and needy communities. Initiatives could be taken within the next year and implementation could be within the next five years. We plan to cover at least 3 provinces and 10 divisions.

 - Monitor and rate the degree of utilization and effectiveness in the use of     those technologies by those who have been trained on. This is a program       for the next five years.

Implementation of Industry 4.0 and related technologies will give the participants of our training programs and/or the users of these technologies users a relief from the uncertainties involved in traditional practices. This is equally applicable for both SME and agricultural sectors.

Intended or predicted performance of each sector with enhanced output, quality, market demand and hence improved quality of life of the community involved become evident. These could be visualized through our proposed monitoring phase and programs designed for the same.  

In the agricultural sector, strengthened environmental indices resulting in effective utilization of water and fertilizer lead to saving and safeguarding against contamination of scarce water resources, optimized volumes and cost of fertilizer will be the most visible impact. This environmental sustainability is itself a relief with a high impact factor. These are the results to be noted during the next five years.

New employment opportunities will be available as these programs are extended to above-mentioned localities and communities.   

Our target population initially focused on participants in the #GotaGoHome People’s Movement in 2022, and later in the coming years to include war affected people especially in the north and east, single family female leaders, people with special needs as well as LGBTQ community and other marginalized groups with different kind of hardships, such as shortage of water, fertilizer, unemployment plus many more issues yet to be identified.

The main issue we have identified through direct contact with these groups is the lack of opportunity, awareness, focus on any sustainable involvement or work for his/her livelihood and hence the total uncertainty of their future. They would certainly wish to engage in a business activity aligned with SMEs, farming plus many such apparently giving a good return or living.

FabLanka has been operating as a platform for product development, training and an advisory service on digital transformation for local SMEs, community and public sector organizations. With the addition of several other technologies as stated below, FabLanka will serve these communities to initiate their work on SME sector. This is the right direction of assistance to these communities as Sri Lanka's current manufacturing share of contribution to national GDP is below 20%.  

 In Sri Lanka, agriculture sector employs around 30% of the population but contributes only 7% of the GDP according to International Trade Administration (ITA) of the USA. Therefore, we understand that our initial focus correctly designed for Industry 4.0 technologies in agricultural practices. 

We note that the lack of guidance, funds or any mechanism to focus on their lives from the state or other sectors lead to the said uncertainty of those who are ready to engage in our activities.

 The main features of the solution are to train, demonstrate and engage these communities with our programs designed for making use of Industry 4.0 plus related technologies in relieving them from the said uncertainties and make them confident on Manufacturing (SME) and Agriculture based enterprises incorporated with technological safeguarding.

Let us pay attention to the method of measuring and evaluation of the progress of the solution towards impact goals.

 - Estimated number of activists in the city and the percentage of them registered and followed training program.

- How many such programs are planned and conducted?

- How many programs were planned for other localities and the level of participation and effectiveness. proper preplanning is also very essential for realizing the goal.

- The type of monitoring and the success rate of those monitoring missions. i.e. How many locations were monitored, and their success/failure assessments will give an indication of reaching the targets. 

 Industry 4.0 Technologies

Education/Demonstrations/Hands-on Experience

Activities: Training Programs

General:

• Regular classes on 3 D Design, Microcontroller Applications, IoT,
• Sessions on Project Management methodologies such as Design Thinking, Systems Thinking, Systems Engineering,
• Regular sessions with industry experts for enhancing knowledge/exposure,
  
• Guidance in orienting towards creating SSE models in Sri Lanka, 

 SME focus:

• Product Design, Arduino Programming/Interfacing,
• Wireless technologies, Data Capture & Analysis,
• NC Programming/operation
• Image Processing
• UAV and applications
• IoT

Agriculture focus: 

• IoT applications on monitoring of Plant Growth, Soil Moisture. Nutrient and related environmental indices
• Control of plant inputs such as water, nutrients
• IoT applications in managing energy related issues.
• Monitoring/control of equipment/sensors/actuators
• Product Design for Manufacture
• UAV and applications

Outputs:

• Awareness, experience and skills: participants of above-mentioned technologies, gain related hands-on skills, exposure and experience.
• Participants will be oriented towards real-life problems and finding solutions by focusing on these technologies.
• Onsite demonstrations: Technology/Product/Process demonstrations for those focused on SME sector. The model farm attached to Fab Lanka Foundation is a good demonstration platform for participants in building their confidence levels on implementation and functioning of these technologies.

Short Term Outcomes:

• Activists already identified for training are the right sample of participants for implementation of our solution.
• Educational sessions in schools/institutions at different locations. Noted an increasing demand of requests.
• As participants and especially school students are highly encouraged to take part in regular activities and laboratory work, a positive trend is noted in their involvement and use of gained skills for innovations.
• Expansion of the inhouse team for enhancing these activities with new technological topics/areas. Incorporation of emerging technologies into design/development activities.
• Developed and tested/verified hardware/software modules (IoT) are made available for laboratory demonstrations.
• A good portion of the FabLanka farm is now equipped with a number of IoT technologies, and readily available for demonstrations.

Long Term Outcomes:

• The training programs will be extended to other localities in the country as per the impact goals defined earlier.
• Expectation of higher demand for training programs. 
• Based on this increasing demand, need to establish FabLabs and model farms in other locations in the country with special attention towards different climatic conditions.
• Incorporation of training modules on distant learning mode for the convenience of participants in remote locations.
• Collaboration with experts/institutions in consolidating the work of Fab Lanka team on testing and research.
• Further expansion of our involvements in guiding the participants onto finding solutions for local issues, with locally available resources for value creation, and forming social/cooperative ventures reflecting the expected SSE model. 
• Developed and tested/verified hardware/software modules (IoT) are demonstrated for users from different localities of Sri Lanka.
• Further advice, guidance on adopting these units for farmers countrywide.

Technology of the proposed solution:

Industry 4.0 Technologies:

SME focus:

- Manufacturing Technology/Additive Manufacturing and robotics.

Agriculture focus:

- IoT for Sensing & Control, Imaging and Drones.

SME Sector: New product development, Additive manufacturing, Alternative materials, design & assembly of 3D printers/machinery, quality improvements for product competitiveness are already incorporated into training programs.

Agriculture Sector: Sensing and control of important parameters involved in the agricultural environment are the critical tasks involved in our training programs. Necessary design, development, fabrication and assembly of artifacts needed for the field are also included into our programs. 

New project management methodologies such as Design Thinking, Systems Thinking, Systems Engineering, up-to-date software, and IT tools are also included into our training programs.

FabLanka Foundation also share the full commitment to diversity, equity and inclusivity as defined by MIT. Further, FabLanka Foundation promotes the core values of diversity, non- discrimination, democracy and inclusiveness as founding principles. Since FabLanka was founded originally as a way of working for the post war reconciliation efforts in Sri Lanka, we take extra efforts in adhering to above values as a way of building harmony among various ethnic, religious, linguistic and other communities. 

In addition, since all the projects carried out at FabLab Makandura and Makandura Model Farm are driven by the core values of Innovation, Team Work, Goal-Orientation, Agility, Collaboration, Community Orientation, Open Access & Open Development and Integrity; it is necessary that we follow the principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Further, the People’s Movement is a movement of all communities in Sri Lanka, which includes representation of all ethnic, religious, linguistic and gender groups. Therefore, working for the Movement demands that we follow above values.

Last but not least, our ultimate goal is to build a multi-cultural, inclusive, vibrant and democratic Sri Lanka, we are bound to follow the values of diversity, equity and inclusion. 

FabLanka Foundation is a Not-For-Profit Social Enterprise by Incorporation. Our Vision is "Towards a Makers Society in Sri Lanka" which itself is a people-oriented and socially responsible vision. We are operating FabLab Makandura as well as Makandura Model Form mainly for a Social Transformation Purpose of Sri Lankan Society. Therefore, our solution naturally goes along same thinking. As explained in details in the Social Business Model Canvass, our value proposition is mainly application of Industry 4.0 technologies into a Social Transformation or a System Change by redesigning the entire Economic System in the country to enhance social orientation and solidarity with the people. Since we focus activists of the People's Movement in Sri Lanka as the main members of the Learning Community, we will be able to carry out our project effectively and efficiently. Our Solution considers every citizen in the country as final beneficiaries and if implemented elsewhere in any developing country can use such technology powered Social Solidarity Economic (SSE) Model for prosperity and inclusive development. 

FabLanka Foundation's Business Plan and Future Plans have been published as a Social Emprise powered by Digital Technology in developing country context by the Case Center in the UK as a Business Case Study in the subject of Social Entrepreneurship for referring in business schools around the world. 

Case spotlight: FabLanka Foundation: Empowering Rural Youth in Sri Lanka with 3-D Printing Technology

1. Project Funds and Grants: Since the incorporation, FabLanka has written and won proposals for project funds and donor proposals and it will continue as an enduring task of the foundation to have sustained funds required to continue its operations sustainably.

2. Founders' Contribution : Foundation was incorporated and the first FabLab was funded by the founders money and the founders are willing to contribute in moving forward as well for part of its operations to sustain.

3. Funding by Sri Lankan Expatriates: Sri Lankan expatriates living in Europe, North America and Australia have contributed to FabLanka foundation and future funding from expatriates will be sustained by successful implementation of education and entrepreneurship opportunities that FabLanka has created so far and the opportunities that will be created in the future.

4. Revenue from Products/Services at FabLab : The ongoing product development activities in the areas of Agriculture, Solar Energy, IOT and Education delivery at FabLab will be scaled up to generate more sustainable revenue for the FabLab network

5. Revenue from Model Farm : The Model Farm in Makandura is already generating revenue in a small scale by selling produce and plants to the general public in the area. These revenue streams will be scaled up with more investments into the farm and with the help of community involvement. Also, farm will serve as a research/testing site for large agriculture companies and Universities to generate more service oriented revenue for Model Farm network.

6. Corporate Sponsorship: FabLanka Foundation is already negotiating with corporate sector for project sponsorship. FabLanka will be able to secure corporate sponsorship project funding with the successful expansion of the FabLab and Model Farm networks and the tailored training programs on Industry 4.0 applications.

7. Consultancy Fees: FabLanka is currently providing free consultancy services to small business, schools and Universities and these constancy services will be intensified and transformed into a fee-based services specially for the large industries and government institutions.

8. Donations: Fablanka will continue to attract the donations from various stakeholders based on its performance and contributions to Sri lanka's Social Solidarity (SSE) economy

9. Government Sponsorships: Sri lankan government has already reached out to FabLanka Foundation to request the help in implementing STEAM Education model in the country. FabLanka has already submitted a proposal to Sri Lanka Parliament on implementing STEAM and Industry 4.0 technologies. With these government involvement, FabLanka will have the potential to secure government sponsorship on various technology based project implementations across the country.

10. Memebership Fees: We will offer our Training Programs Free in the Future too. However, we will look at possibilities of charging annual fees from Alumni of Our Programs well as well volunteer contributions when they settle financially. We also explore opportunities for offering the similar training programs for a fee for corporate customers and international participants. 

Founders Investments in FabLab= US$ 90,000

Founders Contribution in Operating Expenses= US$ 12,000 per Year

Founders Investments in Model Farm= US$ 60,000

Sri Lankan Expatriates' Investment in New Biotechnology-Lab = US$ 100,000

International Fund Raising with Crowd Funding ( GoFundMe)= US$ 5000

Project Funding with United Institute of Peace ( USIP) of USA = US$25,000

Project Funding by Germany's DAAD International Virtual Academic Collaboration (IVAC) Programme in Partnership with  Esslingen University, Germany  and University of Colombo, Sri Lanka = US$ 27000

Cross Culture  Programme (CCP) Funding of Euro 4500 for Networking Civil Societies by  ifa (Institut für Auslandsbeziehungen) of Foreign Office of the Federal Republic of Germany = US$ 5000