Between 2014 and 2016, AOF embarked on a mission to uplift the dry fish and Maldive fish processing communities of the South. Funded by a USAID grant of LKR 3 million, the project worked closely with 52 production societies across Matara, Ambalangoda, and Hambantota—groups long skilled in their craft but limited by outdated methods and rising costs.

With technical expertise from the University of Peradeniya, new low-cost energy dehydration units were designed and introduced, offering processors a practical way to improve quality and efficiency. The Southern Provincial Council supported the initiative, helping mobilize communities and ensure smooth implementation.

Training sessions, quality control guidance, and market linkages followed, strengthening every step of the value chain. For many small processors, this project marked a turning point—opening doors to better production, higher earnings, and renewed pride in a traditional industry that sustains coastal families.