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| Saturday, 15 November 2003 |
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Politics | |
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| Programme of action for economic advancement of women - Prof. Peiris "Women should be encouraged to seek self-employment within Sri Lanka and creating a sense of security and affection for their families rather than to emigrate to other lands as housemaids undergoing tremendous mental and physical stress. In this respect self-employment programmes initiated by the Prof. G. L. Peiris Foundation with the financial assistance of the ECLOF organisation based in Geneva, Switzerland has disbursed a sum of more than Rs. 1 million among women from several electorates in the Colombo district," said Prof. G. L. Peiris, Minister of Enterprise Development, Industrial Policy, Investment Promotion and Constitutional Affairs at a gathering at Visumpaya, Colombo 2 where 80 women from the Moratuwa and Homagama electorates were provided loans to start their own small businesses. Under this scheme of the Prof. G. L. Peiris Foundation the ECLOF organisation has already provided capital loans to 80 women from the Homagama and Avissawella electorates and another 70 women from Kesbewa electorate will be selected within the next month for such assistance. A recipient is entitled to a maximum of Rs. 15,000 which can be used as start-up capital for a variety of home-based businesses such as tailoring, grocery stores, woodwork, preparation of food, beauty culture, cultivation and sale of vegetables and flowers, breeding of exotic fish and welding etc. It is noted that the women who have already received such assistance are progressing steadily in their chosen paths while promptly paying back their loan instalments and at the same time contributing to a savings scheme as well. Mrs. Renuka Herath, Chairperson, State Timber Corporation, Mr. Gamini Samarasinghe, Programme Director of the ECLOF, Mr. Thomson J. Mendis and Mr. Senaka Damayantha Perera, MPs Western Provincial Council, Dayasiri Jayasekera, Private Secretary to Minister Peiris and Mrs. Violet de Mel, Member of the Moratuwa Municipal Council also spoke. Mrs. Nandanie Edirimanne, Coordinator of Women's Affairs of Prof. G. L. Peiris Foundation made the welcome speech. Loan entitlements were handed over by Prof. G. L. Peiris and Mrs. Renuka Herath. |
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