Transforming Life Through Education | Nilushika Silva Jayaweera | TEDxSingaporeWomen

Faced with the responsibility of raising four siblings at the age of 16, Nilu struggled with the notion of conforming to societal expectations of what women should aspire to be and her own ideas about breaking away from the status quo and seeking a better life for herself and her siblings to find hope in Singapore. Nilu hopes to create awareness on the importance of education which will initiate changes to forge a brighter future for her community.

Determined to improve her circumstances, Nilushika Jayaweera left her home in Sri Lanka to take up a job as a domestic worker in Singapore. During her time working as a domestic worker, she undertook classes to learn how to start and manage a business. Today, she is an entrepreneur who runs her own e-commerce business selling tea from Sri Lanka. She also organises regular community events and workshops to inspire other women to act on their dreams.

This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at http://ted.com/tedx