'Saroshi Dubash new Chairperson of WCIC Sri Lanka'
The Annual General Meeting the Women's Chamber of Industry and
Commerce Sri Lanka (WCIC), was held on August 24, 2012. High
Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka Ashok Kantha, graced the occasion as
the Chief Guest. Dr. (Ms.) Saroshi Dubash, a director of the Abans Group
of Companies, was unanimously elected the new Chairperson of WCIC. She
succeeds Ms Vidyani Hettigoda, who raised the WCIC to great heights
during her tenure and was also the recipient of the honourable
distinction of Chevalier dans l 'Ordre National du Merit (Knight in the
French National Order of Merit).
Dr. (Ms.) Dubash has plans to initiate programmes to uplift and
enhance the standards of women entrepreneurs and their businesses by
developing and strengthening relationships with other women's chambers
in the country. She also intends to liaise with Women's Chambers in
other countries to facilitate and promote the export of products of
women entrepreneurs in Sri Lanka. During her tenure, she will extend
invitations to guest speakers from the international community to help
impart their knowledge and expertise to the members of WCIC with special
emphasis on how business processes could be enhanced by technology.
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Office
Bearers of WCIC |
The WCIC is a non-profit organization with a membership of over 150
business and professional women of Sri Lanka.
It has emerged as a permanent organization in Sri Lanka for advancing
the interest and views of business and professional women of our country
and become a powerful voice for improving and advancing the business
environment for women entrepreneurs.
It was established in 1985 with the support from United States Agency
for International Development (USAID), as one of the first Chambers in
the world to be set up specially for women. Most of the members of WCIC
are engaged in small and medium scale enterprises such as textiles,
leather products, handicrafts, soft toys, travel trade, cosmetics,
garments, flora and horticulture.
The WCIC's priorities are to link together women who own and operate
businesses, thus providing opportunities to develop their potential and
to exchange ideas, participate in conferences, training programmes and
trade fairs, as well as to identify new markets at home and abroad. WCIC
also assists with advice and consultancy services.
WCIC conducts ongoing projects in poverty alleviation, rural
entrepreneurship development, savings and credit, migrant women
training, agribusinesses, etc. It also organizes several important
events such as “Women Entrepreneur of the Year” for large, medium, small
and micro categories, “Women in Business,” trade fair and exhibition and
“Buyer-Seller Meetings,” creating forums where entrepreneurs could meet
prospective buyers.
WCIC assisted three students and one trainer from the Nuffield School
for Deaf & Blind in Jaffna, to successfully complete a course in Hair
Dressing and Beauty Culture. WCIC also helps to uplift the livelihood of
war widows in under developed areas in the Mannar District through the
Colombo Plan under the micro credit project. It also conducts a chick
farming project in Batticaloa, funded by the German Embassy in Sri
Lanka. This will be conducted in the Mannar District as well.
WCIC is planning to organize the fifth Annual Conference of the South
Asian Women's Network (SWAN) in Sri Lanka in July 2013, with the
assistance of Prof. Veena Sikri, Convenor of SWAN.
The vision of WCIC is to become a strong organization that is
accessible to women from all parts of Sri Lanka and help them solve
important issues related to business and to network with organizations
in other countries to enhance its reach.
Women's Chamber of Industry and Commerce Office Bearers for 2012/2013
[Board Members]
Chairperson : Ms. Saroshi Dubash
1st Vice Chairperson : Ms. Rifa Musthapha
2nd Vice Chairperson : Ms. Shanthi Fernando
Jt.Secretary : Ms. Sarrah Sammoon
Jt.Secretary : Ms. Chaturi Ranasinghe
Treasurer : Ms. Illanga Karunaratne
Asst.Treasurer : Ms. Indrani Fernando
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