Women’s Empowerment and Skills Training held at Semenyih
by Datin Sree Kala Pillay - EWRF Vice President

EWRF Kajang in collaboration with SR (T) Ladang Semenyih carried out empowerment and skills training for Indian women for seven (7) weeks between July 23rd to September 10th 2006. The project was funded mostly by the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development was headed by our Vice President Datin Sree Kala Pillay. The women, a total of 75 of them were largely married women, some of them being single mothers, came from the marginalized community around Semenyih, Rinching, Kajang and even from Cheras. It was refreshing to note that some teenagers attended these training sessions which is usually a rare phenomena in other training sessions held elsewhere. The President of EWRF, Mr S P Pathi and EWRF Kajang Chairman Ir. Rajasekaran, the Ladang Semenyih Tamil school Headmaster Mr Dhanaselan, PIBG Chairman, Mr Vera, SR (T) Ladang Rinching Mrs Jaya and other EWRF members, teachers and participants attended this event.

The aim of the training sessions is to equip women especially single mothers with some income generating skills and its related knowledge. Combining skills and knowledge and with the right attitude, this synergy will enable women to empower themselves with the potentiality to uplift their own lives and their families.

Our sincere thanks goes to the dedicated, hardworking and committed team from EWRF Kajang, namely Mr Arumugam, Mr Devadasan. Mr B Vadivel, Mr Eesan Pasupathi and Mr Poobalan who organized everything and kept the children busy while the mothers attended the trainings. Another team not to forgotten is the ever supporting teachers from SR (T) Ladang Semenyih, specially Mrs Kamala and her team of teachers. This project was also made possible by all the baking and delicacy making trainers who took great effort and ever willing to impart their years of accumulated knowledge and skills to all attendees. We would also like to place on record our appreciation to all the dynamic speakers.