Kavitha Uthayakumar has bagged Best Organization for Women Talents and Development

Kavitha Uthayakumar has bagged Best Organization for Women Talents and Development

• March 18, 2022

I Mrs Kavitha Uthayakumar is a class I officer from premier service in Sri Lanka, which is called Sri Lankan Administrative Service. At present, I work as a Provincial Director, Department of Rural Industries, Eastern Provincial Council, Sri Lanka, I have been working in this department since 2017. It is a government organization where more initiative can be taken to focus on entrepreneurship development of the Eastern Province, Sri Lanka. It is a great opportunity for me to preserve and protect the Rural Industrial sectors belonging to the Eastern Region from the ancient period. I deal with the workforce of nearly 300 employees which comprise many categories of officers. However, I maintain a good rapport with the officers and public. Our organization's mandate is to create the vibrant entrepreneurship through promoting and supporting local resource, micro & small industries with an emphasis on eco-friendly thereby creating employment opportunities through providing necessary skills and linkaging with the market facilities and increasing the share of rural industrial benefits equitably to all.

I create a conducive working environment with maximum productivity initiatives. I am innovative in maintaining the documents which help the officers to deliver their services more effectively and efficiently. It helps them serve the general public as well as the local entrepreneurs. I initiate many projects/activities to empower the rural women and encourage them to generate their income on their own. Also, many vocational training programmes have been arranged for the youths, School leavers, women, women headed families and job seekers for making them skilled personnel and eligible for labor markets in order to hunt jobs easily. I bring my organization to achieve its mandate as empowering human life through efficient resource management.

I am a very honest, dedicated and enthusiastic administrator who always tries to create ideas in every aspect of my work field. I focus more on the entrepreneurship development of the people. Entrepreneurial success and fulfillment are the ultimate goal of the entrepreneurs. The real entrepreneurs who start real businesses that employ real people who provide real products and services to the real customers. I know it’s hard and lots of work needs to be achieved. I also understand that entrepreneurship is not only possible in government organizations, it is the future of it. It is the key to win amid all the organization clamoring for funding in today’s high economic situation. but a country like Sri Lanka needs to focus more on the rural industrial sector and boost it. Our government also understands that to reduce unemployment particularly amongst youths, through the encouragement of entrepreneurship concept is the best.

I also understand that the increase of women participation in the medium and small-scale industrial sector is a phenomenon that happens everywhere in the world, especially in my country. Therefore, I identify the handloom projects and introduce them at the village level among the rural women. Provide the training on handloom for 06 months and provide them with the necessary equipment and materials needed for the production activities. I make them as a business organization and register them as “Handloom Producer Societies' '. Further, I ensured continuous monitoring and support through my workforce for the sustainability of the projects. I also eradicated hardships the women faced when they began entrepreneurship for the lack of their family support, friends, government, financial institutions and NGOs also deter their growth during the initiation stage. 

There are several problems faced by women entrepreneurs in the Eastern Province such as less educated their men counterparts, lack of working capital and marketing difficulties, the effectiveness of government programmes to support SME development programmes is low and no confidence to cope with the economic fluctuation. Therefore, the sustainability of the businesses are questionable. At these points, I accepted the leadership to motivate the women in all ways to start the small business and continue to do the same.

I am the administrative higher rank officer with 16 years of hard-nosed experience who can solve problems in a sensible way that suits the conditions that really exist now, rather than obeying fixed theories, ideas or rules. I have remarkable experience and achievements in the field of capacity development of the officers, organize a training programme in effective manner, rural development, women development, working with the community based organization like women rural development societies and rural development societies, youths programme, rural industrial sector development, handloom sector development, event manager/ organizer, organize no of trade fairs, mobile services, exhibitions to the general public, especially for the entrepreneurs who struggle with their products without proper marketing facilities, good mentor, planner, implementer, preparation of project proposal for the good will of the people, development of rural infrastructure at the village level and have formulated a constitution for the community-based organization and regularize their activities.

Moreover, I have created the database for the communities-based organizations and managed/guided them through the database online. I have always been interested in working together with members of the organization. I perform as a visionary leader, with integrity strengthening me as a good women leader in my previous role, I have worked at the Department of Rural Development and the training department. Wherever I worked, I showed sincerity at work and did my best to communicate with all three communities effectively. I also worked with multi community officers who were my subordinates, supervisors peacefully and happily. My experience in various organizations made me a strong personality and created good leadership qualities.

I am also interested in social empowerment. I have provided job opportunities to several youths and women and made them economically sound in their life. With a gentle and soft, smart and loving yet firm approach, I continuously inspire the trainees at the vocational training to pursue excellence in their skills. I always ensure to integrate the importance of equity and equality to treat the officers and trainees.

I was born in a small village called Mathagal in Jaffna District, Srilanka and studied at J/Pandatharippu Girls high school. Finally, I entered the university of Jaffna and specialized in Geography with 2nd class upper division. Thereafter, followed various computer Courses and served as a demonstrator in that field for sometime.  While I was working as a development officer, I entered into the SriLankan Administrative Service and served in various executive positions and worked in different departments. Due to the multi communities’ system, and executive positions, I have obtained a vast range of knowledge in the administrative field which made me a strong leader. To strengthen my career, I have got the chance to participate at the “Young Leaders Programme” under JICA Programme and gained vast experience about leadership traits and practices.  After that, I got the scholarship to do my masters in the International Christian University in Tokyo, Japan under the Japan Development Scholarship Programme. 

I had been there for 2 years and received tremendous experience in study, performance, language proficiency, dealt with the students from various countries, learnt cultural patterns of various backgrounds, field visits, learnt to be disciplined, punctuality which turned me into a strong and versatile personality. I did my masters under the stream of “International Relations” which gave me more insight about the countries and their approaches. As a part of my masters, I did my research on the theme of “Empowerment of women headed household in Kuchchaveli Divisional Secretariat Division in Trincomalee District in Sri Lanka. I had a numerous discussion with them and identified their problems.

I am very happy and grateful to receive the “Women’s Leadership Awards” from the International Women Icon. As a woman who is in the executive level position facing numerous problems, it is a great recognition for me and for my achievements. Thanks to the Awards Committee of Women Icon powered by Times Women.