About Us
Otara Gunewardene
Founder
Message from the Founder
I initiated Otara Foundation just prior to my exit from the company I founded. Fortunate to have experienced the rise of retail in Sri Lanka through the Odel brand, I found that people seemed to care about what I stood for — not just as a business person, but as a woman, a mentor, an animal lover and more. To be in a position of influence over people's life choices is a responsibility I have always taken seriously, which is why I formed the non-profit venture that is the Otara Foundation.
Since 2015, the Otara Foundation — the parent organisation behind Embark — has grown to become a quiet yet dedicated channel of change in this country that I love. The Foundation is comprised of a talented, dedicated team of Sri Lankans who have committed to mindful progress. Driven by Passion, the scope of our work has evolved to cover environmental protection, livelihood development, education, community upliftment and our distinctive expertise — animal welfare. In our daily work, we too often see tremendous cruelty toward innocent animals and that is why we advocate for the Animal Welfare Bill to become law — Sri Lanka has yet to pass laws protecting animal rights.
We drive progress in all that we do, understanding that with it must come greater responsibility, not just toward each other but to the world around us. The Otara Foundation is a diverse organisation, working with individuals, communities and community stakeholders throughout the island. We are patriots with a clear vision for ourselves and our island nation. I am grateful to the thousands of volunteers, hundreds of collaborators, countless special interest groups and international organisations that have trusted us to facilitate sustainable development.
The Otara Foundation is 100% Sri Lankan and proud. We are here to be the change we wish to see in our world.
Our time is now.
Core Values
Love
For every life we encounter — people, animals, and the wild places they share.
Kindness
A daily choice. The small acts that ripple outward into communities.
Passion
The fire that has driven this work since 2007 — and that we carry forward today.
Give
Of our time, our resources, and ourselves — generously and without precondition.
Change
Not a slogan. A daily commitment to leaving things better than we found them.
Our Initiatives
Embark
Caring for Sri Lanka's street dogs since 2007 — sterilisation, rescue, rehoming, and awareness.
Land & Habitat Protection
Reforestation and habitat restoration — Wilpattu, the dry zone, and communities at the forest edge.
Wild Life Conservation
Working with the Department of Wildlife and partner orgs to protect elephants, leopards, and birdlife.
Education & Awareness
School visits, public campaigns, and partnerships that bring conservation into every classroom.
Annual Reports
The People Behind the Work
Nalaka Sampath
Nalaka plays a key role in rescuing dogs, supports our sterilization work, and cares for many of the paralyzed and injured dogs.
Thariq Hussainn
Thariq helps to create social media content, manages our Embark social media pages, and supports all our social media activities, to keep all our followers and supporters updated on our work.
Anthony Serpanchy
Field Officer
Anthony assists with the Rescue Operations and provides support in all other areas such as Adoption Days, Sterilizations Programs and other daily operational activities.
Want to be part of the work?
Every donation funds clinics, education, reforestation and rescue.
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