Free · Friendly · For everyone
Speak English with confidence — at your local library.
SEPL is a volunteer programme running free spoken English classes for kids and adults at public libraries in Colombo. No fees. No grammar drills. Just real conversation.
10
Courses running
300+
Students this year
30
Volunteer teachers
2
Library locations
What we offer
Three ways to learn ✎
Kid's Spoken English
Playful 10-week courses for ages 7–14. Songs, stories, role-play and confidence-building — taught by friendly volunteer teachers.
Saturdays · 10am – 11:30am
Colombo Public Library
Adult Conversation Classes
Practical spoken English for working adults. Small groups, real-life topics — interviews, customer service, travel, daily conversation.
Weekday evenings · 6pm – 7:30pm
Both branches
Book Clubs
Read together, talk together. Monthly book clubs for kids and teens — pick a book from the library, meet up, and discuss it in English.
1st Sunday each month · Free
All welcome
SEPL in Action!
A Look at what happens when
30 Volunteers and 300 learners share a library
"A library is the right home for this work— a welcoming, neutral space that already belongs to the community."
— SEPL founding note, 2019
About SEPL
Confidence, not
grammar drills.
SEPL — Spoken English at the Public Library — is a volunteer-run programme offering free spoken English classes at public libraries in Colombo. We started in 2019 with a single class of 12 children. Today we run 10 courses across two library branches, reaching more than 300 learners a year.
Our mission is simple: make spoken English accessible to anyone in Colombo who wants to learn, regardless of background or ability to pay. We focus on confidence and conversation.
SEPL is not affiliated with any school, religious group, or political party. We are run entirely by volunteers, with the generous support of the Colombo and Dehiwala public library staff.
Voices from the library 🗨
"Before SEPL I was scared to even say hello in English. Now I can speak with customers at my shop. The teachers are so patient."
Nirosha P.
Adult learner, Colombo
"My daughter looks forward to Saturdays. She comes home singing songs in English and teaching us new words."
Ahmed F.
Parent
"Volunteering with SEPL is the highlight of my week. You see real progress in just a few months — and you make friends for life."
Dilini R.
Volunteer teacher
Get Involved
Three ways to help ✺
Volunteer
If you can speak English confidently and have 2 hours a week, we'd love to have you. No teaching experience needed — we train you and pair you with an experienced teacher.
Donate
SEPL is free for learners, but not free to run. Your donation covers books, stationery, snacks for the kids' classes, and outings. Rs. 500 a month makes a real difference.
Partner
Are you a school, company, or community group that wants to support free English education in Colombo? Let's talk about how we can work together.
Our team ♥
Faiza Chatoor
Founder & Co-Administrator
Anjali Thalayasingam
Co-Administrator
Abirami Vimalathithan
Head of Student Management
Kusal Dissanayake
Web Administrator