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Hatton National Bank (HNB), which pioneered micro finance, rural banking and entrepreneurship in Sri Lanka, will once again host the annual ‘Gami Pubuduwa’ Avurudu Pola. Organised by Gami Pubuduwa Micro Finance programme of HNB, the Avurudu Pola will be held for the second consecutive year at BMICH on Saturday and Sunday (7 and 8 April).
Opening up sales and market opportunities for micro-entrepreneurs of Sri Lanka, the Avurudu Pola 2018 will take place with over 100 stalls set up at the BMICH premises to showcase a wide range of products from vegetables and fruits, to Ayurvedic products, handcrafts, electronic appliances and brass products. Through this unique initiative, HNB aims to cultivate vibrant new opportunities for the country’s growing contingent of micro-entrepreneurs and rural industries.
Expressing his views, HNB SME and Midmarket Deputy General Manager Jude Fernando said: “Through the Avurudu Pola, we create linkages between rural traders and the urban market, exposing their innovative and authentic products to a customer segment with disposable income. This initiative literally opens up a world of possibilities for them with their products being sold in overseas markets. HNB Avurudu Pola goes beyond the traditional pola or market concept as we actively engage in the process of creating new opportunities for these entrepreneurs in order to encourage them and offer them sustainable long-term benefits.”
HNB’s legacy of innovation in the Sri Lankan microfinance sector has won continuous recognition locally and globally—most recently receiving the Best Micro Finance Product of the Year in Sri Lanka award at The Asian Banker’s International Excellence in Retail Financial Services Awards Programme 2017 and Most Innovative Microfinance Bank in Sri Lanka by the International Finance Magazine Awards 2017. The coveted awards were presented to HNB in recognition of its holistic efforts to extend vibrant and valuable microfinance services to the widest possible spectrum of customers in Sri Lanka.