Dialog Launches Trilingual Sayuru App to Support Sri Lankan Fishing Communities

From left to right - Mr. M.M. Ariyarathne, Assistant Director High Seas, Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources; Mr. Mudalige Janaka Prasanna, General Manager, Ceylon Fisheries Harbour Corporation; Mr. Asanga Priyadarshana, Head of Sustainability and Group Chief of Risk and Compliance, Dialog Axiata PLC; Hon. Douglas Devananda, Minister of Fisheries; Mrs. Kalyani Hewapathirana, Director Operation, Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources; Mr. Nilanka Jayawardena, Chairman, Ceylon Fisheries Harbour Corporation; Mr. Vadivel Sathyanandan, Managing Director, Ceylon Fisheries Harbour Corporation; Mr. Uditha Gamhewa, Assistant Director, Monitoring, Controlling, Surveillance, Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources; and Mrs. Thilini Nawagamuwa, Assistant Director, IT, Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources.

In a continued effort to empower Sri Lanka’s fishing communities, Dialog Axiata PLC, the country’s #1 connectivity provider, has launched the Sayuru mobile app, available in Sinhala, Tamil, and English. Designed for day-boat fishermen, the app offers real-time weather updates and other essential services, in partnership with the Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources and the Department of Meteorology.

Building on the success of the SMS and voice-based Sayuru service introduced in 2020, the enhanced app includes features such as ‘Today’s Weather,’ ‘Mark My Route,’ ‘Saved Locations,’ ‘Department Services,’ ‘Awareness Programmes,’ a digital compass, SOS alerts, and a fuel calculator. While the Sayuru SMS and voice service remains free, the app provides a 90-day trial for the new features, followed by a daily subscription fee of Rs. 2 + tax. The app can be downloaded for free from the Google Play Store, and Dialog customers can access it without incurring data charges.

Aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals 1, 9, and 13, this initiative seeks to support fishing communities. It has garnered multiple accolades, including the NBQSA Award for Inclusion and Community in 2023. Since its launch in 2020, the Sayuru voice and SMS service now supports an active user base of over 100,000 day-boat fishermen, delivers 2.1 million weather alerts via SMS, and facilitates an average of 800,000 emergency calls annually.

“In an era when information about the lives and safety of fishing boats on one-day journeys was inaccessible, Dialog Axiata PLC introduced the Sayuru 828 Service,” said Hon. Douglas Devananda, Minister of Fisheries. “The launch of the Sayuru mobile app is both timely and vital, and we extend our gratitude to Dialog for implementing solutions that safeguard the lives and livelihoods of more than 100,000 Sri Lankan fishermen.”

Asanga Priyadharshana, Head of Sustainability and Group Chief Risk and Compliance Officer of Dialog Axiata PLC, added, "We are proud to introduce the Sayuru Mobile App, which underscores our commitment to using technology to uplift and empower Sri Lanka’s fishing communities. This app is a valuable extension of our ongoing efforts to support marginalized communities, and we believe it will significantly mitigate the risks posed by unpredictable weather conditions to day-boat fishermen’s livelihoods."

For more information on the Sayuru SMS and voice-based weather service and the mobile app, visit https://www.dialog.lk/sayuru