Earlier this week, the Women's Development Centre (WDC), together with COL, represented by Ms Frances Ferreira, Senior Adviser: Women and Girls, marked the closing of the Empowering Women and Girls (EWG) project in Sri Lanka.
Bringing together senior government officials, community members, women and girls, community leaders, and parents from the seven districts where the project was implemented, the celebration highlighted the project’s achievements through vibrant cultural performances by EWG participants. Dances reflected the beauty, diversity, and strength of Sri Lankan culture, while carrying messages of gender equality, equity, inclusion, and harmony with natural resources. Participants and community leaders also shared inspiring stories of change, while an exhibition featuring products created by women entrepreneurs showcased the project’s contribution to livelihoods and women’s economic empowerment.
Mr Kandeepan, Mayor of the Vavuniya Urban Council, commended WDC for strengthening women’s societies in his constituency. He recognised the important role of non-governmental organisations in preventing gender-based violence and called for an increase to the existing 25 per cent quota for women in local government, acknowledging the valuable, thoughtful, and inclusive approaches women leaders bring to governance.
Ms Niluka Bulathge, Additional District Secretary (Land) of the Kandy District Secretariat, emphasised that empowering women and girls is essential to Sri Lanka’s economic, social, and cultural development. She spoke about the loss of valuable human capital that occurs when educated women leave the workforce after marriage to care for their families, and also praised the programme for encouraging women’s participation in the economy and addressing gender equality within the family.
WDC Executive Director Ms Sashi Stephens noted that the project was implemented during one of the most challenging periods in Sri Lanka’s recent history. Despite political transitions, economic instability, inflation, rising living costs, fuel shortages, social uncertainty, and climate-related disasters, including Cyclone Ditwah, communities, local organisations, and partners remained resilient and committed. She said these experiences demonstrated how resilient communities are built through strong local leadership, inclusive participation, collective action, and investment in people’s potential.
Ms Frances Ferreira reflected on the project’s success in strengthening local capacity, fostering inclusive institutions, and promoting sustained rights-based practices. “Looking back, I feel proud to have contributed to efforts that are changing the trajectory of women’s and girls’ lives, whether through economic empowerment, education, or strengthened legal protections that give girls a greater chance to determine their own future,” she said.
COL4D's Empowering Women & Girls Women's Development Centre Vavuniya Urban Council
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Congratulations to the teachers, ministries and education partners in Barbados, Dominica and Grenada on the successful completion of Cohort 2 of Advancing Caribbean Teachers (ACT) in Mathematics.
Through this regional initiative, COL, working through VUSSC, continues to support Caribbean small states in strengthening teacher capacity in mathematics. The programme brings together in-person professional development, online communities of practice, open educational resources and practical classroom strategies to support more inclusive, technology-enabled and student-centred mathematics teaching.
ACT in Mathematics reflects COL’s mission in action: partnering with small states to expand access to quality learning opportunities, strengthen education systems and improve outcomes for learners. As this work continues, there are opportunities to deepen the ACT in Mathematics community of practice and related seminar series, including through continued collaboration with regional institutions such as the UWI Headquarters.
Ministry of Education Grenada Ministry of Education, HR Planning, Vocational Training & Nat'l Excellence Barbados Government Information Service Virtual University for Small States of the Commonwealth (VUSSC) The University of the West Indies, Mona
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In Papua New Guinea, flexible and open learning is helping more students access secondary education, wherever they are.
In collaboration with COL, Flexible Open and Distance Education (FODE), is strengthening blended and online learning pathways, building digital capacity, and expanding access for learners in remote, rural, and island communities.
Read the full story to learn more about how FODE is redefining access to quality education: www.col.org/news/digital-transformation-in-papua-new-guineas-open-schooling/
#OpenSchooling #onlinelearning #blendedlearning #PapuaNewGuinea #EducationForAll Flexible Open and Distance Education of Papua New Guinea
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