Awareness programmes on Samurdhi Women's Day

Uditha KUMARASINGHE

COLOMBO: The Samurdhi and Poverty Alleviation Ministry has organised a series of programmes on Samurdhi Women's Day which falls on March 7 to create an awareness among women of Samurdhi beneficiary families to socio-economically uplift their lot.

The Ministry annually organises Samurdhi Women's Day to coincide with International Women's Day which falls on March 8.

The national ceremony of Samurdhi Women's Day will be held at the Tower Hall Theatre, Maradana on March 7 at 10.00 a.m.

The theme of this year's Samurdhi Women's Day is 'Samurdhi, a strength for courageous women,' Samurdhi and Poverty Alleviation Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi told a media briefing in Colombo yesterday.

Nearly 550 women of Samurdhi beneficiary families who have achieved benefits and were economically empowered through various projects implemented by the Samurdhi movement will participate in the national ceremony in Colombo.

They will make presentations and share views with other women attending the ceremony on ways and means of how they improved their economic conditions with the assistance of the Samurdhi movement, the Minister said.

The Samurdhi Women's Day celebrations will be an encouragement for women of Samurdhi beneficiary families who are determined to come forward and improve their income levels in relation to various sectors in the Samurdhi movement, she said.

This year's celebrations will also focus on special appreciation to the women of Samurdhi families who have made the largest savings in their accounts and empowered socio-economically through obtaining loans under the Jana Pubudu and Gam Pubudu schemes.

Special appreciation will also be given to women who have successfully constructed their houses under the Diriya Piyasa housing scheme, the Minister said.

Under the Diriya Piyasa housing scheme, the Ministry's target was to construct 5,000 houses for women of Samurdhi recipient families whose breadwinner has died or is incapacitated.

The Ministry has constructed over 4,700 houses. The Ministry has made arrangements to vest these houses with Samurdhi families at a ceremony at the BMICH on April 10 under President Mahinda Rajapakse's patronage.

The Minister said the Ministry has also given priority to combat drug abuse among low income earners which has become one of the major reasons for the socio-economic downturn of their families.

"This year's Samurdhi Women's Day will also lay special emphasis on this issue. The Ministry through Samurdhi children's clubs will implement a massive programme against alcoholism and illicit liquor manufactures," she said.