Projects -  1. Mobilising women for Empowerment (ME)

Geographic locations of operation
35 Grama Niladari Divisions in Balangoda and Weligapola Divisional Secretariats in the Ratnapura District

Components of the project

1. Mobilize women in small groups- Currently there are 120 small groups with a membership of 603 women

• Weekly meetings of small groups are held and every small group operates a micro credit home bank
• Building solidarity among women
• Skills development
• Conflict resolution
• Labour sharing
• Awareness-raising activities

2. Kantha Shakthi Development Collectives- currently there are 9 Collectives and the total fund of these Collectives as at 31st December 2006 is LKR 3,314,220.00 and the total loan units ( no of times the loans given) by end of 2006 is 661 times and the loan amount is LKR 6,153,083.

2.1. Collectives operate as community banks from which women are able to take bigger loans for self employment activities, housing, education etc.
• Monthly meetings of the Collectives are held

2.2. Economic Empowerment Activities

3. Women intervene in the problems affecting women such as violence and crimes against women and other social and political issues affecting the communities

4. Women’s Wednesday market

5. Women’s leadership building - it is planned to bring 20 women to leadership in 2006-2007

6. Educational workshops

The themes for the workshops are as follows:

• What is “women’s question”
• Women’s rights within the framework of major international conventions and Sri Lanka constitution and women’s charter
• Feminist power and leadership
• Women’s land rights ( this is tentative and open to change )

7. Discussion kits

Themes for discussion kits are as follows:

• Are women inferior to men? Why? How?
• Sex and gender
• Why women can’t do certain jobs?
• Motherhood , power and powerlessness
• Is marriage a way of living for women?
• What is happiness?
• What is violence against women
• Social attitudes to violence against women
• Links between mental and physical health
• Law and daily life
• International women’s day
• Derogatory and outdated customs and traditions on women
• Rights of the girl child
• What is virginity?
• What is character

8. Women’s bridge for multi ethnic friendship- this is an innovative activity started in November 2006.

9. Awareness raising is an important component in this project. Themes which have been covered during the past year at small group meetings are as follows:

For more effective results the mobilizers use techniques such as debate and forum theater when dealing with these topics.

While working in the field, the social mobilizers have identified 30 women who showed capacity and potential in hard work, self confidence and leading others. Special attention is given to these women to build their leadership qualities. While they play a big role in organizing all events and activities, it should be specially mentioned that 2 of these women have begun serving as mobilizers themselves in the Handagiriya and Diyavinna areas.

Judging by these activities and their encouraging results, the first two activity objectives seem to have been fulfilled beyond our expectations.

Achievements

The opportunity to join hands with the women of Matara and Tangaalle in several programmes, especially the International Womens Day celebrations has been an encouragement for all the women involved. The special interest taken in addressing the unique problems and challenges faced by the young women in Balangoda has been yet another victory for our organization.

Plans for the Future

• To continue on going activities of small groups and Collectives.
• To overcome economic challenges through solidarity by forming women’s trade clusters.
• To organise exchange programs with a view to learn from strengths and weak nesses of one another.
• To develop the management capability of social mobilizers.