1) Vocational Sewing Centre – Puthukudiyiruppu
1a) Vocational Sewing Centre No 1 at SWO
The establishment of a Sewing Centre at Social Welfare Organisation is an initiative of Mahalirillam, and the centre was inaugurated in 2011. It provides a six months Government approved course (National Vocational Qualification Level 4) to mature girls of >18Y who leave the Girls’ Home and poor girls from the village.
The demand to attend the training course is so high that currently there are about thirty mature girls enrolled. The initial cost of providing sewing machines was met by Mahalirillam. Recurring costs for the centre included – Teacher salary, Material costs, and Children travel costs to the centre. Mahalirillam has been funding the maintenance of sewing centre, including the payment of teacher’s salary and for the provision of sewing materials during learning. This centre needs $500 to $700 per quarter for maintenance. and requires additional funds to purchase more sewing machines (costs A$220/machine).
See girls in training:
Please see the Youtube clip to see the girls in training.
The construction works started on 06/04/2015 and the dream project of SWO was ceremonially opened on 14 July 2015. The interior works of the building have been completed and the centre has reached an operational stage. Please see photos taken at the ceremony and while the girls are in session. Once again we thank our members for their generous contribution and support to commence and progress work to satisfactory completion of the building.
Photos – 14 July 2015 & 03 Aug 2015
1b) Award of certificates and handing over of Sewing Machines
The President of SWO, Batticaloa, Mr. S.Thirunavukarasu, Additional District Government Agent Mr. Kiritharan, and Prof Selvarajah of Eastern University participated in a ceremony to award certificates to those students who completed the six months sewing course with SWO. In addition, ten Singer Sewing machines were donated to each one of them by Mahalirillam to earn a living in the community. Please watch the handing over ceremony held on 28.11.2014 on the following YouTube link:
1c) Participation of Lions Club, Epping, NSW, and Wattala Lions Club, Sri Lanka – In an Official Function organized at SWO, Batticaloa.
The Lions Club Epping Eastwood, New South Wales, Australia, and Wattala Classic Lions Club, Sri Lanka, are united in a spirit of compassion by supporting and providing much-needed sewing machines to ‘Promote the self-employment opportunities for women’ in Srilanka. This function will be held on 02 August 2015 at the Social Welfare Organisation, Batticaloa, Sri Lanka. We would like to thank our Member and Lion Thillainadesan, Lions Club Epping Eastwood and Wattala Classic Lions Club – Srilanka respectively for their gifts of sewing machines to three girls based on last NVQ Exam achievement and on the performance at the last training Course offered at SWO’s Sewing Centre.
The link to view the highlights on YouTube:
Photos – 02 Aug 2015
1d) Exhibition September 2015
On 29/09/2015, the fourth batch of students to complete the Sewing Course with the SWO organised an exhibition of their stitched items. The highlights of the event are shown in YouTube.
Exhibition September 2017
On 02/03/2017, the last batch of students who completed the basic training at Puthukkudiyirrupu Vocational Sewing Centre organised an exhibition to show off their works.
1e) New Tailor Shop at SWO
On completion of the six months sewing course at the Sewing Centre Puthukkudiyiruppu (Batticaloa), the students, in order to confer with NVQ L 4 requirements, need to work at a Business Unit/Tailor Shop without regular supervision. On 17 June 2016, this Business Unit was inaugurated by Mr. V.Gunaranchithan, Sydney, Australia at the Girls’ Home Pallugamum. This document presents the video clips taken during the function.
1g) Vocational Sewing Centre No 2 at Palugamam
The second Sewing Centre at Palugamam was inaugurated on 29/07/2016 by our member Dr. Nilmini Subramanium, from University of Auburn, Alabama, USA. Sewing training at this centre will function 1st week of August. This project was funded by The Saiva Manram, from the Sydney Murugan Humanitarian Fund – 2016. Video clips taken during Nimini’s visit to inaugurate the Sewing Centre at Pallugamum are available in YouTube.
On 5th Mar 2017, the students from the centre organised an exhibition to show off their works following the completion of 6 months course. The Divisional Superintendent Pooratheevu District graced the occasion at Pallugamam. We are happy to present you the video clips and photos taken at the Exhibition and Graduation functions held at the Sewing Centre at Puthukkudiyiruppu & Pallugamam.
1h) Vocational Sewing Centre No 2 at Palugamam
15 Sept 2017 – Foundation Stone laid
Construction works at Vocational Sewing Centre Palugamum has progressed to completion of the foundation, plinth beams, columns, tie beams & cross beams.
The photos below show the progress at the site.
December 2017
March 2018
May 2018
19 May 2018
01 Sept 2018
05 Sept 2018
04 Dec 2018
Members of Mahalirillam and The Saiva Mantram, Sydney generously donated for the construction of a new building in proximity to Thilagavathiyar Girls Home, Palugamam to accommodate the growing number of girls from neighbouring villages in and around Palugamam. The new building at Palugamam was opened on September 5, 2018 with the traditional moving in rituals, boiling of milk and offering to Almighty with prayers.
16 June 2024
It is our great pleasure to announce that Mahalirillam continues to support this wonderful effort by SWO to manage the two centres and have successfully trained 530 young women providing them with the necessary skills to pursue meaningful employment opportunities and to qualify for the National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) examination. Mahalirillam continues to support SWO to maintain the two centres and towards this we have recently funded the supply of four new Singer sewing machines and one Zoje machine to the two sewing centres.
2) Mango Farm
Mahalirillam provided initial funds to establish the mango farm and funding its ongoing expenses.
04 Dec 2018 fruiting season
Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) Certification
Department of Agriculture in Sri Lanka constantly educated Social Welfare Organisation, Puthukkudiyiruppu to practice Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) at its vegetable and fruits farm in Puthukkudiyiruppu, Batticaloa. On 08/08/2019, Social Welfare Organisation (SWO) was awarded GAP farmer Certification for fruits and vegetable category from 22 July 2019 for one year.
