Sprouting green wonders in Galaha

Ruwanthi Abeyakoon

Vegetables and cushion covers: Green leaves of the vegetables planted in neat rows, cover the slope of the mountain. Niranjala Kumari Jayaratne is the owner of these vegetable beds. Hailing from the city of Kandy, she has been keen on farming and agriculture since she was young.

"I had a dairy farm with forty heads of cattle in Nawala, when my husband was working in Colombo. Later we moved into Kandy and bought a land in Galaha where I have my vegetable garden now. I grow carrot, beetroot, potatoes and salad leaves," Jayaratne said.

She does not use any chemicals for the vegetables.

"I use cow dung and compost to manure the plants. People face many health hazards when chemicals are used in agriculture. By using natural manure health hazards can be avoided," she said.

"Buyers come from in and around Kandy to buy my vegetables. My husband and my son help me to develop the vegetable garden," Jayaratne said.

While maintaining her vegetable garden, she also grows flowers. "I formed a Plants Association to bring in others into growing plants. In 2004 Agricultural Department came to see my garden and the instructor requested me to train the women in the village to grow plants.

Women were also keen and we formed `Suwahasak Mal' Association in Katawala Lewla. We grow flowers like Anthuriums and Chrysanthemums. There are around 60 members at present," she said.

The exhibition they organize once in three months helps them to sell their products. "These type of self employment give the rural women opportunity to earn some money.

They do not have to depend on their husbands for everything. They can use the income for household activities while keeping themselves occupied with something useful," Jayaratne explained.

She added that women are happy to join her in work. "Rural women learn a lot by joining my work and I get the opportunity to share my knowledge with them. They appreciate what I do and support me in every possible way," she said.

This hard working woman is also involved in sewing cushion covers and quilts. "During my leisure I do cross-stitch, quilting, cushion covers and patch work.

There are two women working under me. They collect the work and complete them at home. I do the final touching up.

I exhibited my work at the Convention Centre. I went to India last year for an exhibition. It was wonderful and I gathered new ideas," she said.

Jayaratne is the former President in Central Province Women's Chamber. Through the chamber she has joined the Business for Peace Alliance (BPA).

"I am working with BPA for the past three and half years. It helped me to meet businessmen in other districts. I can enhance my business and take my products to other districts," she said.

"The Rotary Club in Kandy will donate three computers to our Katawala Lewla Association.

Women and small children can learn IT through this centre," she added.

She hopes to open a farm with cattle, goat and chicken this year. "I am working to build a farm to have some goats, chicken and cattle. I am also planning to open an outlet to sell the vegetables and farm products. My patch work and sewing will also be improved.

I hope to attract many women to join hands with me for their own benefit," Jayaratne revealed of her future plans.