The Sanasa Movement is seeking Government support to further its national agenda of helping the lower-end of society with funds to improve their living standards.
“We urge the Government to support our efforts in providing access to funds for the low income families of society and help them have better living conditions. The measure will assist the government’s action to alleviate poverty,” Sanasa Movement founder Dr. P.A. Kiriwandeniya said. The Movement renders an invaluable service to the people. The conduct of the Movement will enable the under-privileged to come up in life. It provides access to funding to meet their financial needs, he said.
Sanasa is a fully indigenous community based organisation pioneering the micro-finance industry. The Movement has 8,400 registered thrift and credit cooperatives throughout the island, including the North and the East. It has been operational for over 40 years and even during the war against terrorism in meeting the financial needs of its members. It has a membership of 850,000 families supporting 3.2 million people.
Cooperative Societies are an integral part of the village community founded 100 years ago. However, under the leadership of Dr. P.A. Kiriwandeniya, the network reawakened in 1978 under its new name Sanasa. Sanasa is the Sinhala acronym for the Movement of thrift and credit cooperative societies in Sri Lanka. With his visionary leadership, the Sanasa Movement has proven its resilience and long term sustainability. The network of societies owns 14 commercial companies that provide services to the Sanasa Cooperative Societies and community based organisations and link them to the international communities. The network includes Sanasa Development Bank, Sanasa Insurance, Sanasa Campus, Trade Alliance Company, Printing Company, Security Company, Uththamavi Guaranty Company and Sanasa Federation.
The Sanasa Movement is not only an extensive network of local organisations, but also an organically linked large community of international organisations that shares a common vision. Its asset base has surpassed Rs. 150 billion.