Women’s Chamber extends reach to Northern province

Extraordinary General Meeting held to obtain member approval to commence 1st chapter

The Women’s Chamber of Industry and Commerce (WCIC), recognised as the national chamber for women in business, unveiled its proposal to establish chapters in the provinces. 
This initiative aims to foster local support for women entrepreneurs, amplifying their impact on the ground. The WCIC, advancing swiftly with its multifaceted initiatives across various sectors, deems this endeavour pivotal for the way forward.

Speaking before a captivated audience of members, Chairperson Anoji De Silva asserted, “Expanding our presence isn’t a choice; it’s a necessity. We must establish ourselves in the provinces to bolster support for women entrepreneurs, facilitating their scalability and growth. The MSMEs constitute the backbone of our economy, contributing significantly to its vitality.

However, women often lack readily available structured support and guidance, facing numerous unique challenges. It’s incumbent upon us to actively engage, empower and enrich them. The concept we propose is informed by insights gleaned from a pilot initiative. Leveraging these learnings, we’ve charted a path forward.”

Initiating the inaugural chapter in the Northern province was a deliberate choice, especially considering our prior engagement through a pilot project in the region since March 2023, in collaboration with OAV – German Asia Pacific Business Association.

Tusitha Kumarakulasingam, the Board Member of the WCIC overseeing the pilot project, elaborated on the undertaken endeavours to the audience. “During the period from March to October 2023, we conducted a comprehensive assessment, enlisted a cohort of women and executed various impactful capacity-building programmes under the partnership. Starting from January of this year, we embarked on another three-year collaboration with OAV, equipped with meticulously outlined work plans and milestones to attain.”

The audience greeted the initiative with enthusiastic applause, with numerous past presidents and seasoned businesswomen expressing their perspectives both verbally and through written submissions. 

Following the event, Shenelle De Almeida led a session on emotional well-being, while Imperial Beverage Company hosted a session titled ‘Appreciating Fine Wine’. The evening concluded with participants engaging in networking opportunities.