On the Lookout for a New Cafe
The weather in Sri Lanka is now transitioning from rainy to sunny and with this, the cafe hunter in me is now coming out of hibernation. I’m now getting fueled by my potent blend for caffeine and curiosity.
So last Tuesday, on a sunny morning, my husband dropped me off at this hidden space in Colombo called Together & Co. As a coffee lover, I’m always on the lookout for cafes that have a unique offering. It could be their ambience, their food and drinks, their crew, or their interiors.
What caught my attention about Together & Co is that it’s tucked away on a street surrounded by trees and plants so it’s the quiet type of cafe that’s most perfect for writing in your journal, reading a book, or for mindful colouring.
I’d usually find myself in busy and vibrant cafes around Colombo. That’s also good, but sometimes, one just wants a reflective time. This cafe really fits the introverted side of me.
Crafting hope, Brewing futures!
Aside from the location and vibe here, I also admire the advocacy of Together & Co. It’s not just a cafe, it’s a charity cafe and they are serving the needs of a community that’s waiting to be embraced.
Behind the cafe is what looks like a school for kids. I was there early in the morning at the opening of the cafe so I saw the children being dropped off by their parents.
It’s actually a non-government organisation called Child Action Lanka and they are on a mission to transform the lives of disadvantaged children in Sri Lanka. As an educator myself, this tugged my heart.
Moreover, I got to know that the ladies who serve in the cafe also come from economically disadvantaged groups and Together & Co provides them with barista training so they can have employment opportunities in the cafe.
In fact those who served the cookies and coffee around the time I was there are both mothers. They have their kids placed at the Child Action Lanka centre. They were very warm to me and they were always smiling the whole time.
For every coffee purchase made in Together & Co, the funds are used for the benefit of the children in Child Action Lanka. I’m not an active social justice warrior, but initiatives like this resonate with me on a profound level. In these trying times, it’s wonderful to find people helping one another. As a coffee lover and an educator, I’ll support this cause in my best capacity. I’m starting it by writing about them because I believe that there’s power in the community. The more people become aware of what one does to make a change in the lives of others, the more hands will be willing to join in that act.
I admire Together & Co for living up to their voice of crafting hope and helping brew the future for our brothers and sisters in the marginalized sectors of the economy.
I was just looking for a cafe that morning where I can spend time quietly and I discovered something heartwarming. Life, just like the weather, can always go from rainy to sunny. One just has to craft and brew hope!
Visit Together & Co at No. 20 Shadygrove Avenue, Colombo.
(We write our content in the hope of making you, our readers, feel a little more inspired in a time when you’re probably feeling low. We hope you feel a little lighter after visiting our site. Then, we know we’ve served our purpose.⭐)
Place looks super nice!!! 😍