SDB launches ten-year development plan

by Lalin Fernandopulle

The Sanasa Development Bank(SDB), a community based organisation and pioneer in micro finance in the country launched its 10-year development plan this year which focused on enhancing community development, improving the livelihood and leadership in the Northern and Eastern provinces.

The SDB, which is the outcome of the Sanasa Movement founded by Dr. P. A. Kiriwandeniya has a membership of over 850,000 families and supports around 3.2 million people.

Assistant General Manager, International Relations, Samadanie Kiriwandeniya said the objective of setting up the bank was to help people at grassroots level to inculcate the savings habit and provide access to micro finance.

"Cooperative Societies founded over 100 years ago are an integral part of the village community. The network of Sanasa Societies owns enterprises that provide services to Cooperatives and link them to the international community", she said. The SDB launched in 1997 has 32 branches with over 8,500 registered Sanasa Societies in the country today. Of the 8,500 Sanasa Societies around 5,000 are functioning.

The SDB which runs parallel with the government's Nagena-hira Navodaya program launched the Sanasa Nagena Hira Udanaya program to strengthen the Sanasa Society network, introduce income generating methods for low income families, launch development programs and donate houses for tsunami affected families.

They will hold a youth conference in Trincomalee to mark the 66th birthday of Dr. Kiriwandeniya on November 14.