Rataviru Rekawarana, a boon for migrant workers

The Rataviru Rekawarana Seva program, a livelihood oriented earnings scheme, was launched recently by the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment for migrant workers.

Three organisations, the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment, The Finance Company PLC and the Sri Lanka Red Cross Society have formed an alliance to implement this scheme.

The Memorandum of Understanding between the three parties was signed at Temple Trees recently presided over by President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

This program allows migrant workers to remit their earnings to finance livelihood programs, which will generate an income at home.

The Finance Company will provide financial support to procure livelihood assets to migrant workers before departure, thereby committing their remittances to finance livelihood assets.

For instance the procurement of a sewing machine before one leaves the shores for employment will be financed by part of the remittance of his earnings abroad. The sewing machine or some such asset (may be a three wheeled taxi) will generate income at home to support his family.

The three areas strengthened by this program are the re-integration of migrant workers as a responsible person in society; support for continuation of livelihood programss to generate income to support the family; and strengthening family links and coming to their assistance in case of catastrophe and providing first aid training to migrant workers before their departure. Skills in first aid will be a value addition to their job and the service they provide to their employers. "The Finance Company will present a range of financial solutions to uplift the livelihood conditions of migrant workers and their dependents before their departure. The company with its 60 branches, pro-active in the field will take the program to the doorstep of the migrant worker," a spokesman for the company said.