Diri Prathiba exhibition on May 30

The Department of Social Services will hold an exhibition titled Diri Prathiba and open a sales centre at the National Arts Theatre, Colombo on May 30 for various items, including handicraft products made by trainees during their training period at their vocational training centres.

The exhibition will meet the requirements for a market and create awareness among the public about their products. This exhibition is sponsored by the World Health Organization and organized by the Department of Social Services.

The WHO will launch an international report about problems and issues faced by the disabled in the world parallel to this exhibition .

A host of distinguished invitees, including officials from relevant ministries and WHO representatives in Sri Lanka are due to attend this ceremony to be held under the patronage of Health Minister Maithreepala Sirisena, Social Services Minister Felix Perera and Deputy Social Services Minister Chandrasiri Sooriyarachchi.

The Department of Social Services conducts various vocational training courses for disabled trainees at five vocational training centres maintained by the Department.

The centres are the Thelambuyaya vocational training centre in the Hambantota District, Ketawala Lawla vocational training centre and Wattegama vocational training centre in the Kandy district, Seeduwa vocational training centre and Amunukumbura training centre in the Gampaha District. Vocational training courses are also conducted as various voluntary vocational training centres like Sarvodaya Suwasetha, Horana Sukitha, Balangoda Batugammana, Anuradhapura Thalawa and Kalawana Vibhavi which are assisted by the Department of Social Services.

Various vocational training courses like handicrafts based on coir, ratten, coconut shells and textile and courses in motor mechanism, refrigerators and air conditioning, electronics, machinery, welding etc are conducted at these centres. Trainees are recruited annually for these courses at Divisional Secretariat level. Trainees are given sets of tools for self-employment or else referred for open market employment on completion of the two year course.