Mobilising for Empowerment

Mobilising for Empowerment

Partner: Kantha Shakthi
Country: Balangoda, Matara & Tangalle, Sri Lanka

Kantha Shakthi (Strength of Women) works for the social, economic and political empowerment of women in Sri Lanka. This program mobilises women into small banking groups enabling access to savings, credit, and labour sharing, then works through this structure to provide training in self-employment, skills development, awareness raising, and social and emotional support to women members. Kantha Shakthi members campaign for women’s rights issues such as domestic violence, peace building and political representation, at community and national levels. More recently, the social mobilisers who have been working in Balangoda district for over 10 years were able to make significant contributions in supporting the capacity development of the social mobilisers working in Tsunami-affected areas in the south.
 

Kanth Shakthi Social Mobilisers in their distictive lavender saris

“The mobilisers encouraged me to participate in the workshop on making sweets. We were able to learn about a balanced diet, making sweets and making short eats. I now make several short eats and sweets and sell them to shops; I also bring them to the Wednesday market. I am now able to earn around LKR 700 per week and it has really helped the situation of our family. I have noticed a new awakening in my personality because I have become a lively and self confident person now.” –

Female workshop attendee, Balangoda, Sri Lanka

The project aims to increase women’s income, enhance dignity and improve solidarity, so women can overcome challenges in their daily lives. The long term objective is to empower women to take on leadership roles within the family and community.

Project Objectives

• Enhance livelihood opportunities of women in small groups
• Improve self-perception and solidarity among women
• Provide credit on a larger scale to members of the collectives
• Develop the capacity of social mobilisers in awareness raising and facilitating small groups
• Enable women to cope with crisis and emergencies.

This project is funded by IWDA supporters and through the ANCP matched giving program.

Kantha Shakthi
http://www.strengthofwomen.org/
-last updated 25/02/09

Tags: Balangoda, Economic Justice, Kantha Shakthi, Social Inclusion, Sri Lanka

This entry was posted on Tuesday, September 30th, 2008 at 2:21 pm and is filed under Projects, Sri Lanka. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.