The Grand Finale of Sri Lanka Vanithabimana will be held on the 8th of March 2022 coinciding with International Women's day, at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall (BMICH). The Vanithabimana initiative introduced by NDB Bank in partnership with Sirasa News 1st, has become a platform for Sri Lankan female achievers who are fast breaking new ground. The platform is a national level program that has empowered and recognized female achievers across different sectors who directly or in directly contribute to the Sri Lankan economy.

One of the main aims of the program is to get women to participate in the modern marketplace and to encourage and facilitate their entry to it. The program also takes steps towards appreciating and felicitating those women who actively contribute to the economy and society.

The Grand Finale will recognize the winners selected at a national level from the two main categories, namely the Provincial sector ( which includes Entrepreneurship (small scale), Entrepreneurship (micro scale), Entrepreneurship (upcoming), Young leader, Environmental Management, Sports, Volunteer Services, Innovation, Literature and Education Services) and the Corporate & Professional Sector ( which covers sectors such as Human Resources, Financial Management, Sales and Marketing, Legal, State sector, Information Technology, Tourism, Art, Sports and Entrepreneurship). In addition the Most Popular Woman in Sri Lanka award (selected based on SMS nominations from the general public) and the “Once in a Lifetime” Appreciation Award to 5 eminent veteran female personalities will be presented at the event.

The Sri Lanka Vanithaabhimana program conceptualized under the NDB’s ‘Banking on Women’ initiative where female entrepreneurs and professionals can enjoy a number of banking facilities available under the NDB Araliya product including Araliya Business Loans (for Capital expenditure, Working Capital and for day-to-day operational expenses), Araliya Credit Card, Araliya Current Account, Araliya Savings Account, Araliya Debit Card, Working Capital facilities (**Subject to prevailing credit criteria of the Bank), Preferential interest rates, Insurance Schemes (Life Cover & hospitalization benefits) as well as Non-financial Services under the Araliya Umbrella, all with the aim of empowering female entrepreneurs in their endeavors.

These female entrepreneurs will also have access to Araliya Knowledge Sharing Forums, Araliya Mentoring & networking sessions, third-party advisory services (e.g. process of business registration, book keeping, etc.) as well as a special Certification program on Small Business Management.

NDB bank is the first Sri Lankan institute that received the EDGE certification in 2019, which is a global assessment methodology and business certification standard for gender equality and its Araliya savings account became a source of strength to employed women due to the benefits it provided. The Araliya savings account also empowered women who were unemployed by educating them and giving them an opportunity to take a new lease in life, without fear. The COVID-19 pandemic only demonstrated the need to empower women economically, if the country is to recover financially.

NDB Bank was awarded the “Best Digital Bank 2021” at the Asiamoney Best Bank Awards for Sri Lanka in addition to being crowned "Sri Lanka’s Best Bank 2021" by the prestigious Global Finance Magazine of USA, and "The Bank of the Year Sri Lanka", by The Banker Magazine UK and is the “Most Awarded Corporate 2021” as per LMD ranking. NDB is the 4th largest listed bank in Sri Lanka and the parent company of the NDB Group. The only financial services conglomerate in Sri Lanka, NDB Group is uniquely positioned towards assisting the growth and development of the Sri Lankan financial market to provide its customers seamless access to the product and service offerings of all its group companies.