Hambantota businesswoman in global spotlight

by Shirajiv SIRIMANE

Fathuma Nisreen, a beneficiary of the Hambantota District Chamber of Commerce (HDCC) Youth Business Program (HYBP) shot to world fame when she won the International Competition for Young Entrepreneurs, at a prestigious awards ceremony in Mexico City, after being interviewed by a judging panel of experts on business and entrepreneurship in Mexico.

Fathuma and the other finalists were invited to Mexico for the judging where they were interviewed by an expert panel of judges before the winner was announced at the awards dinner.

The YBI Global Forum held in Mexico City from September 18 to 23, 2010 and the competition aim to raise the profile of young entrepreneurs around the world, particularly in countries where access to capital is challenging.

This is the first time a Sri Lankan was shortlisted for the award and the first time the country won an award of this magnitude. The event was organised by Youth Business International (YBI), which is a Charity under a Trust set up by the Prince of Wales.

Fathuma will receive prize money of US$ 5,000 from Youth Business International, as well as an invitation to travel to London for a dinner at St. James's Palace, which last year was hosted by The Prince of Wales.

The global award reflects the challenges that Fathuma has overcome as well as the huge potential that she has to act as a role model for other Muslims in her community and inspire other women around the world.

Owner of a small bag and garment making business in Hambantota, Ramsi Fashion, she first won the YBI's "Woman of the Year" award, and qualified for the world competition.

An emotional Fathuma thanked the YBI for the recognition bestowed on her, and paid tribute to her husband who supported her every effort, along with her mentor Amali, and the Hambatota Youth Business Program, which helped her get off the ground.

She said she wanted her award to serve as an inspiration to many other women to venture into the world of entrepreneurship, and she recalled the great difficulties and tragedies she had to undergo during the tsunami time when her husband's Welding Business was destroyed, and they lost many family members. These challenges inspired her to greater heights and she was greatly appreciative of Prince Charles, for having set up a Trust of this nature.

She said she was disappointed that her transit visa was simply rejected before going to Mexico and she had to find another airline route to go to the contest.

Fathuma Nisreen is a designer and manufacturer of traditional women's outfits and bags and, in setting up her business Ramsi Fashion, has become a role model for other women due to her success in overcoming the restrictions facing Muslim women wishing to enter the business world.

Fathuma took it upon herself to resolve the situation and used her tailoring skills to develop her own business, supported from the beginning by HYBP.

"I am delighted to be able to tell you that Fathuma was awarded first place in the competition, a great achievement for her, for our district of Hambantota and for Sri Lanka," Azmi Thassim, Director General Chamber of Commerce Hambantota said.

Fathuma received technical training from Ms. Amali Asurage of Tangalle who is a trainer in handicraft and tailoring. Fathuma was directed to HYBP by Amali and she has been serving as her mentor since the inception of her business and her guidance and monitoring greatly helped to establish a successful business and to win an international award. Fathuma was competing in the finals against three other young entrepreneurs, who were the respective category winners in the competition.

They were Colin Davison from Canada, with Stealth Acoustical Control and Emission Inc, whose business enables industrial businesses to reduce noise pollution and employs around 60 other people, Alex Tam and Felix Chung from Hong Kong whose business Ecosage Ltd, is helping to tackle the waste crisis in Hong Kong with their recycling business, as well as creating employment for many of the city's ragpickers, and Shriram Kaluke from India, whose business Shri Ganesh Enterprise has grown under very difficult conditions, into a business providing cleaning services for water tanks, employing 14 people and servicing 1,500 clients.

In a joint statement, the global panel said: "We chose Fathuma because the award will have the biggest impact on her, her family, her community and send a strong message to the world that women are able to start a business while remaining true to their family values. We thought it was remarkable that she was able to start up her business without having to give up her religious and cultural identity."

"Overall, we found in Fathuma the courage to overcome tough times, the intelligence to maintain the family as her main motivator, the vision to grow and most of all, the happiness of building a successful business."

Youth Business Sri Lanka is an accredited program of Youth Business International (YBI), and provides financing for youth to start a viable business idea and provides advice through a voluntary mentor.

The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce is the custodian of national program and houses the YBSL Secretariat.