Recognizing the immense contribution women make to their family, community and country, Diva, a proudly Sri Lankan brand, has partnered with Women in Management (WIM) to conduct training sessions on entrepreneurship and skills development to help women market their home-grown products and services. The first Diva Dathata Diriya purpose initiative started in Dankotuwa in January 2023 and will be rolled out nationally to other locations. On completion of a nine-day training session, an award ceremony was held by Diva, which is manufactured and marketed by Hemas Consumer Brands, to celebrate and recognize the journey of the participants. The program will also keep engaging with the participants and track their progress, and eventually, and the top three female entrepreneurs will receive capital funding to accelerate their entrepreneurial journey. Diva thrives on supporting women, giving them strength and empowering them.
In a majority of Sri Lankan households, the burden of nurturing families falls on the women in the household. Women’s nurturing hands cook, clean, do laundry and care for their families. The helping hands of women brighten the future of her children, add life to the family, build communities, and as part of the workforce, make a significant contribution to the national economy. However, despite the fact that they can win the hearts of the world, some women lack the adequate time, knowledge and support to fulfill their dreams. This realization sparked the creation of the Diva Dathata Diriya purpose initiative to provide a supporting hand to talented entrepreneurs. The Diva Dathata Diriya purpose initiative will support women with career advice and professional skills; equip women with financial and digital literacy skills to manage their households and businesses; support community initiatives at the grassroots; and attract more women into the workforce, ultimately benefitting the nation.
Elaborating further, Mrs. Anushka Sabanayagam, Category Head Home Care of Hemas Consumer Brands, said, “Diva’s brand purpose is to make women’s lives easier by being the source of support for their well-being and progress. As a helping hand to women, we aim to equip them with the necessary skills and knowledge to embark on their entrepreneurial journey through the Diva Dathata Diriya purpose initiative. We are excited to provide the top three winners with access to finance to fulfill their entrepreneurial dreams. This project is an extension of Diva’s brand purpose – to empower women and make their lives easier so that they can fulfill their ambitions. Diva’s superior products are infused with efficiency and deliver the best results in less time, which allows women to take care of their household well and yet leaves them free time to engage in their passions and fulfill theirn dreams.”
A famous poet once wrote, “The hand that rocks the cradle, rules the world”, which implies that women nurture the next generation and thus have a strong influence on events in the country and should be admired and loved. Diva Dathata Diriya purpose initiative understands this inherent strength and potential that women possess and thereby facilitates and encourages them to develop their skill sets for the future.
During its journey spanning over 20 years, Diva has been able to support Sri Lankans with superior laundry care solutions while positioning itself as a local household brand that understands the local consumers’ evolving needs.