Two programmes in Jaffna and one in Vavuniya were conducted in collaboration with the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL), and covered the topic ‘Entrepreneurship Development and Financial Literacy.’
Eighty entrepreneurs who were nominated by Commercial Bank’s main branch in Jaffna participated in the first programme while 75 entrepreneurs nominated by the Kilinochchi, Atchuvely, Chavakachcheri, Nelliady, Stanley Road, Manipay, Kodikamam, Chunnakam, Thirunelvelly, Mannar and Velanai branches of the Bank participated in the second programme. Forty five entrepreneurs nominated by the Bank’s Vavuniya branch attended the programme in Vavuniya.
Mr. Sri Pathmanathan – Consultant to the Central Bank of Sri Lanka was the key resource person for these programmes at which Commercial Bank’s Regional Manager – Northern Region, Senior Manager – North Central Region, respective Branch Managers and officers of the Development Credit Department represented the Bank.
The Commercial Bank has conducted similar programmes for SMEs and micro entrepreneurs in areas such as Narammala, Galle, Monaragala, Wellawaya, Badulla, Passara, Bandarawela, Welimada, Weligama, Koggala, Karapitiya, Matara, Batticaloa and Ampara in the recent past.
The Bank’s Agriculture and Micro Finance units are located in Ratnapura, Narammala, Kandy, Anuradhapura, Kilinochchi, Bandarawela, Wellawaya, Hingurakgoda, Galewela, Atchuvely, Vavuniya and Tissamaharama.
They identify and support people who need financial assistance to start new businesses or to expand existing ones, provide guidance on how to improve their businesses and help resolve difficulties.
The largest private bank in Sri Lanka and the only Sri Lankan Bank to be listed four years consecutively in the world’s top 1,000 Banks, Commercial Bank operates a network of 237 branches and 597 ATMs in Sri Lanka. Ranked the most valuable private sector brand in the country in 2014, the Bank has won multiple awards as Sri Lanka’s best bank over several years, and was adjudged one of the country’s 10 best corporate citizens by the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce in 2013.
Photo caption : Two of the entrepreneurship programmes in progress.
