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The Mission
In November 1987 government negotiated phase two of its industrialisation programme with the promulgation of the EPZLWF Act 1987. The object of the Act was "to do all such things as appear requisite and advantageous for or in connection with the advancement and the promotion of the welfare of workers and their children".

The Vision
The vision of the EPZ Labour Welfare Fund is predicted on the core commitment to have the organisation benchmarked as the number one, total quality, customer focused welfare service provider in the Indian Ocean region up to 2020 and onwards.

CORPORATE PROFILE
The EPZ Labour Welfare Fund Act of October 1987, proclaimed by the Governor General on 1st January 1988, provides for the setting up and operation of a welfare Fund for workers in the Export Processing Zone and their families. The Fund, which is administered by a tripartite Committee consisting of representatives of government, employers and workers, operates under the aegis of the Ministry of Labour and Industrial Relations.

From an infant organisation equipped with one piece of legislation in January 1988, the EPZ Labour Welfare Fund grew into a healthy, proactive parastatal body driven by a vision to delight its customers through the operation of a worker-oriented welfare programme.

The welfare programme was synergized throughout the last decade by short, medium and long term strategic planning mileposts and today the many-pronged activity chart demonstrates that social targets are being successfully met. To this date the welfare impact has been on some 30,000 workers along with their families.

In 1988 a Daycare Centre Scheme was designed to bridge the gap between demand for daycare services from working mothers and unmet daycare needs. This scheme expanded from one day-care centre in 1988 to eight in 1998 and is expected to be consolidated over the years.

A Scholarship Scheme was put up in 1990 to enable children of workers to pursue their educational upliftment at secondary and tertiary levels and with regards to industrial/vocational training. Some five hundred and twenty beneficiaries have already been reached and it is targeted to have the beneficiary base doubled over the next five years.

A Household Appliances programme was further devised in June 1990 with the object to upgrade the quality of life of workers and their families. By 1998 some 6000 workers have been allocated modern domestic appliances and during the next five-year plan period it is estimated that some 6,000 additional workers would have been reached.

Still under the Leisure Management Programme a new boost was given to family socialisation and collective leisure through sports and recreational activities. The leisure Management Programme, which centres around weekly recreational activities at beach and natural reserves, indoor and outdoor games, socio-cultural events and holidaying facilities, has an annual cumulative impact on some 12,000 workers and their families.

Besides the extension of other social aid facilities to workers the Fund is currently embarking on a model canteen project which will service some 5000 workers at Floreal industrial zone.

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