Fillip for beeralu trade in Mirissa

HSBC and South Asia Partnership Sri Lanka (SAPSRI) have launched a livelihood development program for the tsunami affected beeralu community of Mirissa in the Matara district.

The program will focus on strengthening the lucrative enterprise of the beeralu community and promoting the lace artistry locally and abroad.

SAPSRI, a NGO working for the welfare of the marginalised communities in developing countries with the support of HSBC decided to help the beeralu community in the south to revive their occupational activities through better market access.

Business Development Manager SAPSRI, Prithva Perera said the Beeralu trade was traditionally an occupation of women in Mirissa and today it has grown to a very attractive and lucrative business.

The community is still backward since they do not get a reasonable price for their products. A beeralu worker gets a pittance of Rs. 50 after three to four days of work. We have been able to create a better market for the community and now they get a decent price for their products, he said.

Perera said under the program they intend to improve the product quality with better facilities so that it would be appealing to the sophisticated niche markets locally and globally. One hundred and fifty women will display their products of traditional craft at the 'Paramparaven' exhibition organised by SAPSRI and HSBC at the Galle Face Hotel on November 25.

(LF)