Cargills hosts third ‘Lak Bojun’ SME Training

On August 27, Cargills in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture’s ‘Hela Bojun’ programme, hosted the third annual SME training programme under the ‘Cargills Lak Bojun’ initiative at the Cargills Head Office.
The programme featured an insightful session led by Kithmini Ariyasena, Agriculture Instructor from the Ministry of Agriculture, covering essential topics such as food quality maintenance, cart cleanliness, hygienic practices, and building strong customer relationships. 
The Cargills team also shared their inputs and expertise with the SMEs, including food safety practices and the importance of saving and financial management. Officials from Cargills Bank joined the programme to provide support and guidance on financial matters and offered assistance with opening bank accounts, aiming to foster a savings culture.

Since its inception in May 2022 with 2 female SMEs, the ‘Cargills Lak Bojun’ initiative has expanded to 11 Lak Bojun carts with 35 direct and indirect SMEs, aiming to create sustainable incomes for women entrepreneurs by providing a marketplace to sell healthy and nutritious food items. The programme provides SMEs with carts, aprons, hats, and access to Cargills Retail premises to set up their carts free of charge. The project focuses on locally sourced, authentic food items with high nutritional value, including ‘Kola Kanda’ and ready-to-eat foods made from root crops and grains, as well as a variety of healthy choices. 

Operating on weekdays in the morning, with some carts expanding to include lunch and dinner options, Lak Bojun provides an affordable way for customers to enjoy these nutritious meals. Sustainable packaging options, including paper cups, banana leaves, kanda leaves, and bio-compostable wraps are encouraged. 
Cargills also conducts weekly audits on all participants to ensure they consistently provide high-quality food, aligned with the guidelines of Hela Bojun. All costs associated with the project are covered by Cargills, ensuring that the entire income generated through the Lak Bojun programme benefits the women entrepreneurs directly.