International Women's Day in Negombo Sri Lanka this year was marked by an extra special event thanks to the Rotary Club of Negombo.
Inspired by Mudara Weerasinghe, a member of the Rotary Club of Negombo and daughter of the District Governor Elect Ajith Weerasinghe, the first ever celebration and luncheonwith a Women's Empowerment Seminar, guest speakers and a trade fair for IWD was held on March 8th in Negombo. A very special guest, Mrs World, Caroline Jurie, a former a Sri Lankan actress and mother of one made presentations.
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The Rotary Club of Flemington Kensington contributed to the unique event by funding the purchase of industrial sewing machines presented to several deserving women. These machines will enable the recipients to earn an income and support their families.
When visiting Australia in February, soon after the International Assembly in San Diego, DGE Ajith Weerasinghe brought his children to a meeting of the Flemington Kensington Rotary which was attended by District Governor Grant Hocking and DGE Phillip Archer.
Discussions were also held around the continuing RORP project in Sri Lanka, and a recent playground installation by the Rotary Club of Negombo.
At that meeting President Lesley McCarthy spoke with Ms Mudara around IWD and her hopes for a significant event to support deserving women and how to help them become independent. When visiting Donations in Kind, and seeing sewing machines and fabrice, and chatting with some women from the African community who had arrived to collect fabric, we spoke of how to help women become economically independent.They also spoke about the Seven Women Project in Nepal and the work of Stephanie Woollard, and the Sewing Project was born.
Back in Sri Lanka, Mudara researched sewing machines, and it was agreed that the easiest option was to purchase the machines in Sri Lanka and present them at the IWD event. Signer Industrial Sewing Machines are the leading machine in Sri Lanka.
Mudara and her organising team identified several deserving women and 3 were chosen to receive the machines from Flemington Kensington Rotary. They were Mrs Achala Weerasiri, Mrs J. K. .Perera and Mrs Christa Ann Shyamali.
We eagerly await news of how the recipients have developed their unique businesses and have started on the road to success, thanks to the support of Rotary.