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A Glimpse of Ceylon A.C.W.W. Meeting Place in 1956 will be held in Ceylon in December 1956, and because F.W.I.O. has undertaken as a project this year. under a U.N.E_1.S.C-0- plan. to equip women's work CEDtI‘ES 11'} four villages in Ceylon, we felt that Ontario Inâ€" stitute women would be interested in the folâ€" lowing notes gathered from the CeyJon 19' stiutes' Annual Report. (Incidentally, as ex- plained in Ina Hodgins' report 0f the F'w-Ijo‘ Board Meeting in our last issue, the eqUIP' mcnt Ontario is providing for the work cen- tres in Ceylon will include sewing machines. cooking ranges and canning eqUiDmem for teaching Ceylonese women better housekeep- mg methods) , _ To begin with, the Women's Institute _11_'ll Ceylon is called the Lanka Mahila Samiti. There are Samitis working in 850 centres and having a membership of 50,000 women. The organization, like our Women‘s Institute, 15 non-sectarian and non-political. Their Report says, “We try to keep outside party politics but this does not prevent the members from taking an active interest in all political ques- tions of civic importance where the woman’s viewpoint is essential. One of our aims is to educate the village woman to shoulder her civic responsibilties." The over-all objec‘ tive of the organization is “to uplift the stand« ards and culture of the people in rural areas.” Training Rural Leaders: The education of rural women is carried on through voluntary leaders, mostly village girls who train for this work in a central training school. These girls take a course in “the theory and practice of Rural Development.“ Then they go out to the remote villages to fulfill their pledge that they will work “to brighten the darkness of poverty and ignorance in rural Ceylon." Health Work: The Samitis work with health authorities for the prevention of disease and better health conditions. They have been asked to report any cases of tuberculosis in the Villages and because of this, many people have had early treatment for the disease. Agriculture and Food Production: Largely through the efforts of the Samitis in villages where the women are so organized, nearly every home has a garden full of vegetables and fruit trees, and the family has a little extra income from the sale of surplus produce. The handicap of having small holdings has been overcome by co-operative cultivation. Tree Planting Campaign: When the Gov- ernment was planning a tree-planting cam- paign, the Samitis, through their national president, offered full co-operationâ€"their pro- gram had always included the growing of trees for shade, home beautification and for food. In the Government's campaign they were right in the forefront. One woman BECAUSE the next A,C.W,W. conference 24 planted 200 Jak trees, 100 bread fruit papaw, 200 lime, 200 pepper and 600 1- trees. Another Samiti member planted trees. Flood Relief: When floods ravaged a of the countryside, the president askec‘ Samitis for help, and relief supplies of and clothing poured in from groups all the country. Cultural Activities: Interest in Folk 5- Folk Dancing, Music, Drama and Art is . vated. A resolution passed at a recent ference asked that research be done in fields and that the information gatherc published with a view to preserving and tering Sinhalese Culture and Sinhalese I rative Art. Family Planning: Another resolution t that the Samiti should take steps to see rural mothers get advice on family plal' through clinics conducted by Medical on of Health. Co-operative Activities: It was also resr at this conference that the Co-operativr partment be asked to establish co-opei activities in every Samiti. Cottage Crafts: Believing that the Co Crafts of Ceylon, if developed on the lines, will find a place in the world mat the National Samiti Association not only vides technical advice through trained v. ers, but helps to improve old methods of duction. The Association has also calle the Government to introduce higher dul all imported handicrafts that compete . local products and to prohibit entirely I importation of basketware. Exchange Programs Ceylon has been active in the exchan; programs with Women’s Institutes in 1 parts of the world. We find this in then nual Report: “Not every woman has the chance it» the world, but every member of the stituent societies can have the world bro to her doorstep by EXchange Programs. was introduced into Ceylon recently by F. B. De Mel at Padegoda, a village in v Kalutara district. The members of a Won Institute in Iowa had sent them gay Ami-‘1 clothes, recipes for country fare, their c; and periodicals, The village hall was tr ‘ formed into an American country home. ‘1 the members donned the gay garments of l 1 American friends. Colourful posters pl' inently displayed showed the life of American country women, and the tilt made from American recipes gave an ide- ‘ the food they ate in that part of the “’07 L? “In a country home far away in Mad 1- IOWfi. a Ceylon scene was being construct ll HOME AND COUNTRY