About Bird Phoenix
Building bridges between Denmark and Sri Lanka.
Bird Phoenix, formally The Danish-Lankan Community – Bird Phoenix, is a nonprofit association based in Copenhagen and Talalla, Sri Lanka. We support sustainable, cultural and health-related development through collaboration, community involvement and intercultural exchange.
Our belief
Development begins with dignity and cooperation.
We believe that strong communities are built when people help one another, share knowledge and create solutions together.
Our role is not to impose solutions. Our role is to connect people, ideas and resources so local communities can develop initiatives that reflect their own needs, traditions and ambitions.
Who we are
Meet the Founder.
Ellis Elisabeth Severine Damgaard – “Nurs Ellis”
Ellis Elisabeth Severine Damgaard, known as Nurs Ellis, is a Danish nurse with more than 50 years of experience in healthcare.
She began her nursing education in 1974 at Hvidovre Hospital and has dedicated her career to caring for people across a wide range of healthcare settings.
Her experience includes 17 years in psychiatric nursing, 9 years as a progressive school nurse specialising in health and sexuality education, and 13 years as a community nurse in central Copenhagen, providing home and palliative care. She has also worked in emergency medicine and has experience in tropical medicine.
Through Bird Phoenix, Ellis combines a lifetime of professional knowledge with a passion for helping communities in Denmark and Sri Lanka create healthier, stronger and more sustainable futures together.
Our purpose
What Bird Phoenix aims to do.
- Help people access necessary treatment and understand the local healthcare system
- Support modern medicine and traditional Sri Lankan medicine
- Develop sustainable reconstruction and community projects
- Establish community learning environments inspired by Grundtvig and Buddha
- Promote cultural exchange and mutual understanding
- Encourage income opportunities beyond tourism
- Inspire people to support one another
- Collect financial and material donations internationally
- Promote reuse and sustainable living
- Establish a locally operated secondhand store
Nonprofit status
A nonprofit community
Bird Phoenix is a nonprofit association. Resources raised through donations, memberships, secondhand activities and partnerships are intended to support the organisation's purpose and its activities in Denmark and Sri Lanka.
Membership
Open to everyone who supports our purpose
Anyone who supports the purpose of Bird Phoenix may apply to become a member and take part in the community.
Become a Member