A women’s empowerment programme organised by Lions Club at Bhanja Bhavan, Rourkela, on Thursday. Picture by Uttam Kumar Pal

Rourkela, March 14: Lions Club International organised a programme to mark Women’s Day yesterday.

The club provided 100 sewing machines to the needy and physically handicapped women besides donating two computers to an institution for helping women get computer-educated.

Padma Charan Nayak, district governor of the club, said while the world celebrated International Women’s Day on March 8, the club decided to provide self-employment kits and accessories to women for their empowerment.

“We organised a seminar titled ‘Living Empowered: An Odyssey to Women Empowerment’ on this occasion. Besides, we provided 100 sewing machines, of which 70 are for self help groups and 30 for individuals including physically handicapped women,” said Nayak.

He said that the wife of one of the victims of the recent Hirakud boat tragedy was given a sewing machine. Of the 31 killed in the tragedy, 30 were Lions club members.

Two computers were given to an institution that trains women. It has so far educated 75 women on the use of computers with the help of only one computer. These two systems would help educate more women.

Besides, a bus stop shed was inaugurated. The process to establish Lions Eye Hospital and a dental hospital has also begun. The club announced the upgrade of a cancer unit at Rajasthan Seva Sadan in Basanti Colony. It will spend Rs 40 lakh for this.

Such programmes are organised every year at various places in the state and this year, it was held at Rourkela. There are 4,700 Lions Club members in the state who are engaged in various social programmes for the poor.