International Widows’ Day 2008 at Tangalle today

The commemoration of the International Widows’ Day - 2008 is scheduled to be held at the Tangalle Urban Council Auditorium today from 9.30 to 12.00.

A large number of people including the Director General and officials of the HDCC, the Chairperson and officials of the WDF and many widows and their children have been invited to participate in this programme.

Arrangements have been made to present special awards on this occasion to the five most outstanding women entrepreneurs from matriarchal families that have made significant contributions towards the economic and social development of the country by being engaged in the business sector.

This event will be characterised by the release of one thousand balloons and a tree-planting ceremony and is being organised by the HYBT and the WDF to mark International Widows’ Day in Hambantota for the second consecutive year.

Raj Loomba, an English national who witnessed his mother Srimathi Pushpawathy Loomba being widowed at the age of 37 and endeavouring to bring up seven children amidst severe difficulties, took the initiative to commemorate International Widows’ Day.

The Loomba Trust was founded with the prime objective of giving a helping hand to widowed young women who bring up their children amidst untold sufferings. The 23rd of June was declared as the International Widows’ Day by Raj Loomba and his wife Veena since Raj’s mother’s death occurred on this day.

The HYBP was identified as the ideal institution to successfully introduce International Widows’ Day in Sri Lanka by fulfilling the objectives envisaged by the Loomba Trust.

The Hambantota Youth Business Programme, which has extended sterling service to disadvantaged youth in the District by lending them a helping hand to stand on their own feet with confidence, has now become the local trustee of the Loomba Trust in Sri Lanka.

Among the various projects implemented by the HYBP, a unique loan system for widows of the district was initiated in March 2007 with financial sponsorship from the Loomba Trust.

This was designed to help widows commence and develop businesses and seventeen beneficiaries have already successfully established their businesses and have benefited immensely from the programme.