Diva Dathata Diriyak Women Entrepreneurial Skills Development Programme is a collaborative effort by Diva, one of the leading laundry brands in Sri Lanka from Hemas Consumer Brands and Women in Management (WIM) to support and empower women entrepreneurs island wide. The 6^th regional rollout of this program was successfully concluded in Anuradhapura on the 7^th of October 2024 with the participation of over 150 participants. The programme was a full-day seminar held at the Nuwaragam Palatha Central Divisional Secretariat, which equipped women entrepreneurs with the required knowledge, skills and confidence to face entrepreneurial challenges.

The programme marked yet another milestone successful series of programmes which has been empowering women entrepreneurs across Sri Lanka covering Nothern, Northwestern, Southern, Uva and Central Provinces. Participants gained essential entrepreneurial skills such as business registration, financial management, customer care, pricing strategies, branding, and packaging during this seminar. There was also a special focus on online marketplaces, which offered valuable insights on elevating smalls businesses in the very competitive digital landscape.

Namal Fernando, Category Manager - Home Care Category, Hemas Consumer Brands shared his thoughts, “Being true to the Brand’s purpose, “Diva Dathata Diriyak Women Entrepreneurial Skills Development Programme” has been instrumental in empowering women entrepreneurs across the island. The programme has been immensely successful, and we hope to see even more participants join the programme in the future as well. We are extremely humbled that this program will not only help the respective individuals, but also their families, local communities and the county at large in making the economy self-sufficient”.

The Diva Dathata Diriyak programme continuous to change and enhance lives, empowering women to evolve from producers to successful business owners. Similar to those before, this programme also provided participants with the resources they require to create sustainable businesses and take control of their financial future, even in the midst of economic uncertainty.

With over 275 women entrepreneurs being empowered in localities such as Dankotuwa, Jaffna, Galle, Welimada and Matale, the edition held in Anuradhapura adds another notch in the programme’s successful legacy.  Diva’s commitment to this programme, which stems from the belief that ‘the hand that rocks the cradle rules the world,’ is further strengthened by its partnerships with local government authorities and organisations such as WIM in empowering women to reach their fullest potential as women entrepreneurs.

The success of the Diva Dathata Diriyak Entrepreneurial Skills Development Programme, underscores the importance of fostering an entrepreneurial spirit among women across the island, empowering them to face today’s economic challenges with confidence.