Boost for rural women's livelihood

by L. S. Ananda WEDAARACHCHI

The Child Development and Women's Affairs Ministry has launched a program to provide necessary equipment and tools and marketing facilities for the products to rural women to improve their livelihoods.

Twenty-four villagers in the North Central Province which make earthenware products have been selected for providing assistance under the program said Child Development and Women's Affairs Minister Tissa Karalliyadda.

The Minister said that the equipment for the pottery industry were provided to 10 families at Kadukalagama in Galenbindunuwewa Divisional Secretary's division recently.

The Ministry will buy their products to distribute them to 800 families in Kokaweva Grama Sevaka Division in the Galenbindunuwewa Divisional Secretary Division which has registered an increasing number of kidney patients. It is believed that the earthenware products unlike aluminium articles are not injurious to health of kidney patients.

He said he hoped to introduce similar programs in other provinces as well.

Special vocational training for local women in India will also be introduced shortly.

The first batch of 50 women will leave for India soon. On the completion of training they will be posted to vocational training centres to be setup in Batticaloa, he said.