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Empowering Women

Project Profile: Joti Koratuwa Craft project

Update: 26 February 2005

Employment Generation and Empowering of Women in Joti Koratuwa

Background:

Joti Koratuwa is a small village of 86 households in Weligama, one of the most southern part of the coast. The men are all employed in the fishing industry. Some work their own boats and others work in boats belonging to their neighbors in Joti Koratuwa and other adjacent villages. All the boats in Joti Koratuwa and the adjacent villages have been damaged to varying degrees. The women have no employment. All the families have lost their livelihood.

The tragedy has made the women of the village recognize their precarious existence and the need to have other avenues of employment. They brought this concern and interest to help them selves to the notice of the Barberyn Management during a field visit. The women expressed their interest in producing some goods that could be marketed. They knew how to sew, make lace, and do rope work.

Objectives:

Empower the women in Joti Koratuwa to engage in productive employment and supplement the household income.

Strategy:

Enable the women to develop skills in producing identified home decor craft items and specific apparel including any traditional crafts which can be sold through the Barberyn resort gift shops and through the network of "Friends of Barberyn" from overseas.

Action Plan:

  1. Identify the group of women who would like to participate in the project with the villagers.


  2. Discuss and assess the skills level of the women in the village of JK in sewing, lace making and rope work by asking them to do sample work.


  3. Demonstrate the concept of generating seed money, and how to generate the capital they need through a programme of buy back of the samples they make.


  4. Identify a few products in the home decor area at which they can excel


  5. Provide a trainer (s) who can teach them new skills and help them to enhance existing skills.


  6. Source trainers who can advice on design/ colour and market requirements in the home decor items


  7. Women to produce the items agreed


  8. The women to be taught the basics of small business operation including book keeping, team work and leadership


  9. Utilize the preschool building for adult education in the evenings


  10. Sell the products in the Barberyn gift shops, and seek other avenues


  11. Develop a business / marketing plan with participation of the women's group


Time Frame: February - December 2005

Budget: Euro 5,000.00

Implementation:

Barberyn Management discussed current skills with the women and gave advice and samples for work. The women will sew sample tablemats and serviettes.

Women examining the samples and children showing what they have done at school. Such enthusiasm!

If you have any ideas or comments on the above project, please contact news@barberynresorts.com









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