A Sampath Saviya workshop in progress

Staying true to its legacy of standing by the nation’s entrepreneurs for over 30 years, Sampath Bank announced the launch of itsrenowned ‘Sampath Saviya’ entrepreneurship development program for the year 2018.

The ‘Sampath Saviya’ initiative is at the core of Sampath Bank’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) efforts. Offering technical support and financial assistance, the program has nurtured over 2,000 Micro, Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (MSMEs), including exporters, since its launch in 2013. Sampath Bank has also conducted several projects in partnership with the CEFENET Sri Lanka, Export Development Board, Regional Chambers and Divisional Secretariats under this initiative.

The Bank has called for applications from startups and budding micro, small and medium entrepreneurs for the next batch of the ‘Sampath Saviya’ program.

In a bid to empower the nation’s youth with the skills and resources to stand on their own feet, Sampath Bank has opened the program out to Advanced Level (A/L) and Ordinary Level (O/L) students who have discontinued their studiesthis year. The Bank believes that this will help cut down on their idle time and make them more productive, thereby enabling them to better contribute to national development.

To join the program, one simply needs to email his/her name, contact number and a brief description of the business venture to [email protected] or contact the Bank on 0765 886 650.

“At Sampath Bank, we firmly believe that the nation’s micro, small and medium enterprise sector is one of the key drivers of economic development. Hence, right from our inception, we have worked closely with entrepreneurs around the island. Going beyond our business interests, we launched the Sampath Saviyaentrepreneurship development program in 2013 with the vision of enhancing and empowering the capacities of MSMEs for sustainable development of Sri Lanka. Having touched over 2,000 MSMEs through the initiative, to date, we are pleased to invite applications for the next batch of Sampath Saviya,” said Lalith Weragoda, Assistant General Manager – Human Resources, Sampath Bank PLC.

Selected applicants will initially take part in workshops to develop their skills on business knowhow, marketing and financial management. Participants will be encouraged to develop and submit their business plans at the end of the workshops. A panel of experts will evaluate these plans and help fine tune them further.

Sampath Bank also offers financial assistance to selected participants, based on the merit of their proposals. The Bank continuously monitors the progress of these ventures together with its partners and offers them counselling and additional financial support to ensure that they are on track to achieve their commercial aspirations.

Going beyond skill development and financial assistance, Sampath Bank also provides Sampath Saviya entrepreneurs with platforms to showcase their products and services to a wider audience through its “SaviyakaAbhiman” Small and Medium Enterprise Fairs. Funded and organized completely by the Bank, over 70 of these enterprises took part in the latest edition of the expo that was held at the BMICH in November 2017.

For further information, contact Sampath Bank on 0765 886 650 or email your queries to [email protected].