HNB to host the first international workshop on “Innovations in Youth Savings” in April 2012

“Innovations in Youth Savings” workshop is organised by the Women’s World Banking (WWB), supported by the Nike Foundation of USA and hosted by the Hatton National Bank. WWB is the only microfinance network with an explicit focus on women. WWB also ensures that they remain at the forefront of innovation in the field of youth savings and financial education practice, delivering technical assistance to network members in product development, operations, and related areas.

  The four day Workshop that will take place from 23rd April to 26th April 2012 at HNB Towers, will bring together Microfinance Institutions, industry experts and donors to discuss youth savings programmes from a variety of perspectives.  Financial Institutions who are focussed on financial inclusion from Dominican Republic, Mongolia, Ethiopia, Kenya, India, Peru, Nigeria, Uganda and Sri Lanka will be participating in this forum along with industry experts namely the D2D Fund and the Population Council. The purpose of this workshop is to highlight existing youth savings programs at network member institutions; to present and discuss WWB’s “How-to Guide” for Youth Savings; and to provide a networking opportunity for financial institutions, industry experts, and funders.

Participants will explore the rationale for launching and supporting youth savings programmes, discuss the development of youth savings products, examine different marketing strategies used by participating financial institutions, learn about innovations in the financial education field and discuss the monitoring and evaluation of youth savings programmes.  

The workshop and participants are enriched by the opportunity to visit HNB Branches and school banking units to learn more about their work around youth savings as well as give feedback on WWB’s “How-to-Guide” for launching and rolling out youth savings programmes, which will be distributed in the days leading up to the workshop.  

Chandula Abeywickrema, Deputy General Manager – Development Banking, who is also the Chairman of Banking with the Poor Network, which is the largest Microfinance Network in Asia is instrumental in facilitating this workshop being held in Sri Lanka. He further stated that “This is a timely opportunity not only for HNB but also for Sri Lanka where there is a greater youth engagement and inclusion.  HNB pioneered the Youth Inclusion programme almost two decades ago creating various linkages and partnerships to facilitate youth in to financial services landscape.  During the latter part of 2011 the Bank initiated ‘Yauwanabhimana’ the Youth Empowerment Programme, to make financial services available, accessible and affordable to the urban and rural youth of Sri Lanka.  This workshop will give an opportunity to some of the leading Microfinance Institutions visiting Sri Lanka for the first time to not only discuss new ideas and innovations in youth savings but also witness and explore some of the pioneering initiatives HNB has taken”.

Anna Gincherman, Director - Formalization and New product Development and Ryan Newton, Senior Associate – Youth Savings  of WWB will co-ordinate and facilitate the four day programme, with the Development Banking Division of HNB.