The Covid-19 pandemic has affected the livelihoods of many, mostly daily wage earners and micro, small and medium scale enterprises (MSME).
For MSMEs, especially women-led enterprises, the pandemic was not the only hurdle they had to overcome. Jeewani Fernando and 13 members of the ‘Ranliya Women’s Society of Batewela’ in Ranala have been producing envelopes which has been the only income source for many years. Even though the Society was fortunate to procure a paper cutting machine with the support of the Divisional Secretariat in 2018, it has been an uphill battle for the women to reap economic benefits due to the lack of training and market access following the challenges posed by successive disasters.
“We received a paper cutting machine two years ago, but we were quite afraid to operate it as we didn’t know how to use it. So, we just kept making envelopes which did not generate much income to support our families, especially our children and our grandchildren. When lockdowns and restrictions came in, it was even more difficult to survive by just making envelopes,” said Jeewani.
John Keells Foundation and Ceylon Cold Stores (Elephant House) had initiated John Keells Praja Shakthi in Ranala. John Keells Praja Shakthi is a sustainable community empowerment initiative centred around locations of identified businesses of the John Keells Group, led by John Keells Foundation and powered by active and sustained engagement of the respective businesses.
Under this project the need for skill and capacity development and market access for the women entrepreneurs of Ranliya Women’s Society was identified as a development need in discussion with the Kaduwela Divisional Secretariat and the Batewela Grama Niladhari, and a training program on producing paper products was launched.
Following the two-month training and follow up support, 16 women from the ‘Ranliya Women’s Society of Batewela’ who were once limited to producing envelopes were equipped with knowledge on using the paper cutting machine effectively to produce a variety of paper products including bags, Vesak lanterns and lunch boxes.
Even though things were taking a positive turn, the women had encountered another challenge when the country went into another lockdown in May.
“We were struggling especially after the Covid-19 outbreak, but when John Keells Foundation intervened and provided us a comprehensive training on how to use this machine, we saw the light at the end of the tunnel. “We were getting many orders and with the seed capital we started making Vesak lanterns ranging from ready-made models to do-it-yourself (DIY) lanterns. We produced over 2,000 lanterns, but the country went into a lockdown and we didn’t know what to do.
“However, the John Keells Foundation supported us again by promoting sales through their channels and we managed to sell 1,883 lanterns. We have been able to improve our business opportunities within a short period with their support,” said Jeewani.
Twelve batik artisans from Ginthota, Galagoda and Thelwatte underwent a training supported by AOD after which they were guided to create upmarket Batik products under the unified brand of ‘Hikka Batiks’.
Head of Operations, John Keells Foundation, Ms. Carmeline Jayasuriya said, “The women entrepreneurs of Hikkaduwa and Ranala bear testimony to the resilience, strength and courage of MSME despite the uncertainties and hurdles that constantly surround their lives.
“Over the years, John Keells Foundation has been uplifting the lives and livelihood of disadvantaged communities around the country under its vision of ‘Empowering the Nation for Tomorrow’.
“Gender empowerment has always been an integral and cross-cutting theme of development initiatives undertaken by John Keells Foundation.
“Through these initiatives we seek to empower women with basic facilities, knowledge, skills and opportunities to be socially and economically independent and become catalysts for the upliftment of themselves and their children,” she said.