Founder
Driven by a passion to help women in distress Empower Women Association was a brainchild of Ms Mohamed Razik Fatima Riyaza who was born in Gurutalawa in the Badulla District. She received her primary education at the Guruthalawa Muslim National School and settled in Kandy after marriage and is the proud mother of two daughters
Objective
Empower Women Association was founded in the year 2014 with the sole intention of providing “ a life with dignity” for the poor and unfortunate widows, divorcees and orphans, who were being exploited by unscrupulous elements and downtrodden by the society at large, and to provide them with a decent means of living with independence.
Our journey has not been an easy one but with the grace and mercy of Almighty Allah and the beneficence of an ever growing donor base, we have made substantial progress in the past eight years in achieving our objective. Unfortunately due to manifold reasons it is recorded with regret that numbers falling under the categories mentioned has been increasing significantly in recent years.
In the Central Province alone the population of widows, divorcees and orphans total to over thousand numbers and this is further multiplied by applications received from the other provinces where we are fast earning a reputation for giving succor to the poor and needy.
Our scope of activities in the past few years has encompassed:
Self Employment
With a view to generating a regular income and live independently we have provided standard sewing machines, Industrial Juki Machines, cooking utensils for various forms of food catering, starting up of cottage industries and retail grocery outlets. Means to income generation has also been extended to destitute males by the provision of wheel carts and bicycles to facilitate door to door sales of various day to day consumables.
We have assisted over 100 beneficiaries and are pleased to record that some of the recipients have excelled and are firmly established in their respective areas of income generation and are living independently.
Education and Training
Orphan Assistance
Empower Women Association has facilitated financial assistance to over 300 orphans in our pursuit to grant them a continuous education, general wellbeing and become useful citizens and eventually contribute towards the society at large
Advanced Level & University Scholarships
Several poor and needy students aspiring for higher education were granted financial assistance to defray expenses for the full duration of the course/stream selected with the period of payment ranging for 18 months for A/L students and 36 to 54 months for University students.
Vocational Training
Young widows and divorcees were trained in the field of culinary arts, baking and micro business ventures which also included training in sales and financial management. Arrangements were also made to provide basic utensils like electric ovens, beaters etc to commence their respective fields of expertise soon after completion of training.
Food for the needy
A regular program carried right around the year has been the provision of dry ration food packs to the vulnerable which has also evidenced a dramatic increase due to the economic downturn in the country with many a household having recourse to even one meal a day. Over 1000 families have been assisted under this contingency program every year.
Water & Electricity Connections
Water and electricity are an essential need at this present world for a family in addition to the food. Under this program many households were provided with water and electric connections . Additionally as water supply was restricted in many areas arrangements were also made to provide storage tanks to many a household.
Housing and Infrastructure
In addition to the electricity and water connection, several households were provided assistance to complete construction works such as, house wiring, roofing and basic sanitary facility (Toilets).
Land and housing
A major achievement and that too for the first time in the history of the organization a widow with children was donated a 8 perch plot of land and currently construction activity is under way to provide her shelter of her own
General
The Association has currently embarked on a program with the assistance of our area coordinators and masjids to collate a data base of the poor and vulnerable and to provide a need base service with a view to maximizing on the broad concept of poverty alleviation.
