Sri Lanka’s 30-year ethnic war which ended in 2009 left thousands of people disabled on both sides of the conflict and women widowed especially in the north and east which bore the brunt of the violence.The new awards are part of the ‘Sri Lankan Entrepreneur of the Year 2012’ awards organised by the Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Sri Lanka and meant to honour enterprising business people.“We have introduced a new category called the ‘Differently-abled entrepreneur of the year’,” FCCISL president Kumar Mallimaratchi told a news conference.

“Owing to war a lot of people become disabled. We as a chamber think it’s time we look at people with disabilities who are trying to rise as entrepreneurs.”

The awards will recognise entrepreneurial efforts irrespective of whether the entrepreneurs are civilian or former combatants and whether they are ex-military or former Tamil Tiger separatists.

The FCCISL was also partnering with Oxam, a global non-governmental organisation, to pick the best woman entrepreneur in the north and east, where many women lost their husbands during the war.

“A lot of women were widowed because of the war,” Mallimaratchi said.

Roxanne Abdulali, programme manager for Oxfam, which is supporting the award for the emerging small women entrepreneur in the north and east, said the initiative was aimed at improving the status of women in the region and become community leaders.

“In the post-war era we’re looking at how to support conflict-affected communities in rebuilding their livelihoods. This year we’re partnering with FCCISL to recognise women entrepreneurs in the north-east where there are thousands of war widows.”