MBSL Savings Bank turns ‘Punchi’ Children’s Savings Accounts into an educational journey
Saturday, 5 October 2013 00:00
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MBSL Savings Bank joined in the effort to encourage parents to inculcate saving habits among children from their childhood and to secure their future, thereby honouring World Children’s Day. In view of this, the bank launched the ‘Knowledge Card’ campaign for ‘Punchi’ Children’s Savings Accounts and Savings Certificates.
Through this exercise, the bank hopes to expand access to affordable savings options to children of all strata of society through its branch network.
The main objective is to encourage children to make savings into an ongoing habit with the introduction of ‘Knowledge Cards’ to be given out for every deposit made by a child and also to widen the general knowledge of children through visual means. A series of picture cards depicting various Sri Lankan arts and artefacts were handed over to the account holders in sets of 12. It is planned with a view to encourage them to make savings deposits on a regular basis while educating them at the same time.
Believing in the idea that every child needs a Punchi Savings Account, the bank aims to open accounts for at least 10,000 children from a cross section of communities by October this year, specially targeting people who have no bank accounts or those who have not utilised banking facilities.
According to the bank’s most recent research data, one in every four households in the rural sectors of the country either do not have a bank account or have not utilised the full potential of banking services. The program was initiated simultaneously with the launch of its ‘Knowledge Cards’ theme, offering children the opportunity of collecting sets of valuable picture ‘Knowledge Cards’ providing information on a diverse range of subjects ranging from historical facts, flora and fauna, rivers, waterfalls and mountains. MBSL Savings Bank officials participated in the launch, handing over these Knowledge Cards to every Punchi Account holder at the Public Library in Colombo 7 on 4 October2013.
“It is vital that every parent open a Punchi Savings account for their children and MBSL Savings Bank offers the first step in meeting this need. While instilling in them the importance of saving, our hope is to promote savings habit by offering savings accounts with low opening balance requirements, attractive interest rates, gifts and insurance policies. Also, our aim is to widen their knowledge through this campaign,” stated MBSL Savings Bank Marketing Manager Shimara Azhar.
