HNB Avurudu pola links rural traders and urban market

Avurudu Pola 2016 organised by the Gami Pubuduwa micro finance program of the Hatton National Bank (HNB) across Sri Lanka concluded on Monday with the fair at the Municipal Council grounds, Panadura.

The trade fairs were held in Kandy, Kalmunai, Kilinochchi, Embilipitiya, Dambulla, Kiribathgoda, Gampaha and Matara with over fifty stalls at each fair, dedicated to a wide range of products.

The stalls provided information on financial products and services.

Assistant General Manager, SME, HNB, Jude Fernando outlined the objectives of the Avurudu Pola trade fairs.

"We create links between rural traders and the urban market, showcasing their innovative and authentic products to a customer segment with disposable income, through these trade fairs," Fernando said

"Some traders in the pola are suppliers to exporters. Therefore, this initiative opened a world of possibilities for them with their products being sold in overseas markets. It went beyond the traditional pola or market concept as we created new opportunities for entrepreneurs to encourage and offer them sustainable long term benefits," he said.

"The Avurudu Pola, a key component of Gami Pubuduwa was launched 26 years ago and through it we have empowered a large number of micro entrepreneurs and improved them from the grassroots level to the SME level," Fernando said.

"We have provided these entrepreneurs with the strength and knowledge to reach the corporate level. The rural sector has always been the strength of the HNB. It accounts for most of our customers and the majority of loans we give," he said.

"One major reason for the success of Gami Pubuduwa has been its focus on financial education and awareness, beyond being a traditional loan scheme. Workshops on proper financial management and financial discipline are conducted island-wide under this scheme, where rural traders are educated on the importance of reporting, auditing and other practices," Fernando said.