First phase in Dadayamkanda:

Rural folk to be empowered

by Lalin Fernandopulle

CCC Solutions, a subsidiary of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce (CCC) with the Citibank and the NDB Bank, launched a rural economic development program to empower and enhance the quality of life of rural masses.

The first phase of the program was launched recently in Dadayamkanda, a farming village off Embilipitiya, to provide educational, health care and market value chain facilities that will boost the income level and the standard of living of the community.

Managing Director and CEO, CCC Solutions, Chandula Abeywickrema said the objective of the program is to introduce economic, social and environmental development to the rural community. It aims at not only creating jobs and businesses but also to protect the social fabric and the environment through responsible and sustainable development.

"Education, healthcare and market value chain are vital components for community development. The lack of knowledge on business opportunities, setting up and registering a business, accounting and auditing, legal aspects, access to funding and markets have stifled growth of household income levels and community development.

Our aim is to provide holistic development that will enhance the quality of life of the community," Abeywickrema said.

Dadayamkanda, a farming village in the Sabaragamuwa province is known for cinnamon cultivation, an ancestral occupation for a large number of farmers. Banana and other fruits and vegetables are also cultivated in the area. Exploitation by middlemen, absence of value addition, and access to finance and markets have hampered the potential and business opportunities of the farming community. An opportunity to manufacture toothpicks from cinnamon sticks which is being used as firewood is lost due to lack of education and access to funding.

"We want to create a gender balance and help farmers to graduate from farming to be entrepreneurs through sustainable development," Abeywickrema said.

"We hope to create 100 entrepreneurs in the village focusing on responsible entrepreneurship. Creating small and medium professionals is vital to support SME development. The expertise of lawyers, accountants and auditors in villages should be tapped for economic development," Abeywickrema said.

Dadayamkanda is one among many farming communities that has not stepped beyond traditional farming to the manufacture of value added products that could capture a wide market and generate more income to households.

"We will bring key private and public sector institutions to support the rural empowerment programs that will be replicated across the country to create responsible entrepreneurship," he said.

Citi Country Officer for Sri Lanka Ravin Basnayake said, "We believe that our partnership with CCC Solutions and NDB Bank will result in a visible improvement in the living standards of the people in Dadayamkanda by creating sustainable micro entrepreneurs.

We also believe that a broad and solid micro entrepreneurial base is key to achieving the country's development goals."

Citi in partnership with CCC Solutions and NDB aims at gradually rolling out this initiative in other parts of the country improving technical and financial capacity of local micro entrepreneurs.