Vocational Training Centre Students Hold Exhibition

The Danish Red Cross Society held an exhibition and sales at its Vocational Training Centre in Kalmunai on the 1st and 2nd of September, 2006. The Centre's students, each of whom completed a three month course in sewing and other skills, exhibited the items they produced during their training here.

The exhibition was opened at 10am on September 1st by Martha Wimteger, the delegate of the Danish Red Cross. The centre provides training to females over 18 years old who are living in Karaitivu, Sainthamaruthu, Kalmunai, and Maruthamunai. Trainees are chosen from tsunami/war-affected families, female-headed families, low income families, and families with many female members.

Three month training courses are conducted in sewing, English language, and computer skills. The Vocational Training Authority of Sri Lanka issues certificates to the students who successfully complete the course.

The objective of the centre is to train 300 women every year and provide them with livelihood skills and self-employment opportunities. In the first session, 51 female students successfully completed the course held from February to May 2006, and another 62 students from the second session completed the course held from mid-May to August 2006.