The first Village Heartbeat Centre opened in August 2007 in Udumulla, near Hikkaduwa, Southwest Sri Lanka. Its success lead to a second centre being established in Rathgama in 2010. The VHP Centres benefits700+ villagers annually.

The project is a rural community development model that can be replicated throughout the rural third-world. It is designed to empower local people through the provision of services vital to the community in one location at the heart of the village.

The Village Heartbeat Centre provides high quality facilities rarely available in rural villages including:

Computer Training Centre (equipped with ten computers)
Community Centre
Library
English Classes
Women’s Enterprise Courses
Youth & Women’s Empowerment Programmes
Children’s Goodness Club
Village/ Environment Improvement Plans
Spiritual training to improve the quality of life
Volunteer expertise oriented programmes

All programmes are free of charge and are taught by qualified teachers. Overseas volunteers work with them to develop new classes and skills and these are open to all who wish to attend from the village and surrounding areas. As well as scheduled classes, the centre is also used as a venue for village clubs and public meetings.