Livelihood projects for women started

Lakshmi de Silva

Livelihood and self employment projects for women in the Gampaha District were started by Attorney at Law Pushpa Rajapaksa under the Liya Abhiman women empowerment program recently.

Already 55 women from the low income groups participated in training programs held at Henarathgoda botanical gardens and at Henegama, in the Dompe area. These projects aim to bring in income to women who could start self employment in their homes and home gardens so that the household incomes would be increased, she said.

The first project was to train 35 selected women to grow anthurium at the Henarathgoda Botanical Gardens, Gampaha and the second was to train 20 women on bee keeping in Dompe area. These projects would be widened to cover the other areas of the district too, she said.

Under the Liya Abhiman program women will not only be provided training but would be provided loans under the self employment loan schemes of the Samurdhi Bank. They will be given technical know how with practical knowledge. The program would also assist the participants in finding markets for the produce when they start producing anthuriums and bee honey, she also said.