A series of Sexual and Reproductive Health lectures were carried out throughout the month of February at garment factories belonging to the Orit Group in Avissawella, Ayagama, Dummalasooriya, Embilipitiya and Marawila. Facilitated by Ms Mallika Samarawickrama, instructor at our Happy Life Centre, these interactive sessions covered various aspects of SRH including contraception, family planning, sexual health and sexually transmitted infections.

FPA Sri Lanka works to provide SRH advice, education, counselling and health care to poor, socially excluded, stigmatized and under-served communities. Free trade zone workers and apparel factory workers are seen as a vulnerable group as they are usually dependent on their employer for addressing their needs. Thus the limited access to facilities, especially healthcare, makes them vulnerable to STI’s and unintended pregnancies. 

Youth friendly IEC materials in Sinhala and Tamil were distributed at these workshops. In addition to its traditional phone-in service, the Happy Life Centre, extends its services via SMS, Web chat, Voice chat and E- mail.