Commercial Bank begins new series of entrepreneurship programmes for women

The Commercial Bank of Ceylon recently conducted the first of a series of entrepreneur development programmes exclusively for women, in recognition of their importance to the national economy. The programme conducted in Matara in collaboration with the National Enterprises Development Authority (NEDA) was attended by more than 100 women entrepreneurs who are involved in micro, small and medium scale business activities in the Southern region. The resource person for the programme was Mr. Chandana Gunawardene, a leading speaker on motivation and business development. The emphasis of the programme was on empowerment of participants in the areas of Business Development and Sustainability. The Commercial Bank has been conducting similar programmes that are open to male and female entrepreneurs in manyparts the country. The Bank has to date conducted 35 Entrepreneurship Skill Development and Capacity Building programmes in the Northern, Eastern North Central, Southern, Uva, North Eastern, Central and Western Provinces. These programmes havebenefitted more than 3,500 entrepreneurs, the Bank said.   These programmes are supported by the Bank’s 14Agriculture & Micro Finance Units (AMFUs) which play a key role in helping the Bank identify specific needs of people who require assistance to develop either their agriculture activities or micro businesses, and are dedicated to promoting agriculture lending and micro finance and providing special assistance. The programme was attended by Matara District Enterprise Promotions Officer of the National Enterprise Development Authority Mr Pradeep Dissanayake and was inaugurated by the Regional Manager (Southern) of Commercial Bank Mr. S B Wasala. Officers of the Development Credit Department and branch managers also represented the Bank. Commercial Bank’s AMFUs are located in Ratnapura, Narammala, Kandy, Anuradhapura, Kilinochchi, Bandarawela, Wellawaya, Hingurakgoda, Galewela, Atchuvely, Vavuniya, Kattankudy, Tissamaharama and Neluwa. Pictured here is the programme in Matara for women entrepreneurs and officials from the Bank at the programme. (press release)