Details

Swashakthi societies have been established in all 331 Divisional Secretary Divisions of the island under the patronage of the members of families with persons with disabilities with the objective of uplifting living standards of persons with disabilities and their families. Improving the skills of persons with disabilities and creating awareness on their rights are two key functions of these societies.

Objective of Swashakthi Abhimani National Awards Ceremony

With the objective of improving performance of the Swashakthi Societies, the Department of Social Services evaluates at the divisional, district and national level the institutions that provide employment to persons with disabilities and the skills development centres that develops skills of persons with disabilities.

Competition Categories

• Selection of the best Swashakthi Society
• Selection of the best Swashakthi member
• Selection of the best Swashakthi Project / Programme
• Selection of the best socially integrated person at the household level under the guidance of the Swashakthi society
• Selection of the best ‘Smart Inventor’
• Selection of the most efficient officer who provided services at the Divisional Secretary Division level / District level and selection of most efficient officer who provided services to patients in hospitals.
• Selection of the best employer or institution which made a significant contribution in providing employment to persons with disabilities
• Selection of the best Skills Development Centre for the children with disabilities

Under the above evaluation categories, 1st, 2nd and 3rd places are selected at the national level and winners are presented with awards, certificates and cash gifts at the Swashakthi national awards ceremony.

Details

Department of Social Services organizes a national cultural show titled “Sith Ru” to showcase the artistic talents of persons with disabilities across the island.

This show which was confined to the display of aesthetic skills of trainees of vocational training centres under the purview of the Department of Social Services in the years 2016 and 2016 was converted into a national level cultural show for all persons with disabilities from 2017 and this was significant victory.

Prior to the national event, provincial and institutional level competitions are held under the auspices of a panel of experts. Applications are called from all districts and for the show and the winners of the provincial level competitions are selected for the national ceremony. Similarly, cultural items presented by students of vocational training centres run by the Department of Social Services are evaluated and winners are selected by an expert panel of judges at the institutional level.

In year 2017, the Kurunegala district team which represented the North Western Province bagged the first place while the second and third placed were won respectively by the Jaffna district team which represented the Northern Province and the Anuradhapura district team which represented the North Central Province. At the institutional level completion, the winner was the Wattegama Vocational Training Institute and the second place was secured by the Amunukumbura Vocational Training Institute and the third place was won by the Ketawala Vocational Training Institute.

In year 2018, the Gampaha district team which represented the Western Province bagged the first place while the second and third placed were won respectively by the Kilinochchi district team which represented the Northern Province and the Badulla district team which represented the Uva Province. At the institutional level completion, the winner for the second successive year was the Wattegama Vocational Training Institute while the second place was secured by the ThelambuyayaVocational Training Institute and the third place was won by the Ketawala Vocational Training Institute.