Germany gives Rs. 2 million to improve livelihoods of women in the East
Micro projects gives eco-friendly technology to enhance dry fish and maldive fish production
COLOMBO, June 8 – The German Embassy provided Rs. 2 million to give eco-friendly ovens to women in fishing communities in Trincomalee, to improve their dry fish and Maldive fish production.
The fishing community of Eechalampaththu, in Trincomalee was dealt a double blow in the past, with the tsunami and the long standing fishing restrictions due to the conflict. This had affected the livelihoods of not just fishermen, but specially women who had traditionally used the excess catch to make dry fish or Maldive fish.
The ovens fuelled by coconut shells and husks are produced by fishing communities in Matara. Each oven allows the women to process 150 kg of fish in three days and maintain consistency in the quantity and quality of production. It also allows them to sell directly to larger retailers since their produce now have a longer shelf-life.
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“When I was travelling in the East I witnessed the resilience and the hard work of the women in the fishing communities along the coast,” said Jens Ploetner, the German Ambassador to Sri Lanka. “This project will create opportunities for them to improve their traditional livelihood into a successful small family business.”
The German government’s micro-project funding scheme is working with the Environmental Projection Foundation in Trincomalee, a community based organisation working with both the Tamil and Singhalese fishing communities.
Ariyasundara Naurunnage the Executive Director of the Environmental Projection Foundation in Trincomalee said that women in self help groups would also get an opportunity to improve their leadership skills and have their voice heard in the community.