Our greatest success thus far is our effort to train Vanni women in the manufacturing and marketing of packaged food items. We have trained alone and in association with NOWWOW of Boston, 250 Vanni Widows and single mothers in preparing rice-flour, chili curry powder and other condiments for the diaspora market and give them an initial working capital. As well we offered them different marketing techniques. We offered them training in hygienic production and packaging, personal finance management, and quality control. We offered them capital for start-up of their home-based businesses. We opened up their export market prospects by introducing their rice flour at the Montreal Murugan Temple Festival. The sum of money spent by VanniVaLam on this promotional event alone was $7,000.00. That worked to a cost of $8.00 per package marketed. From the information that was sent to us, it is with great happiness that we can say that they sold over 2,000 kilograms of handmade rice flour last year which incurred a mere cost of $2 per package