Assetline Finance Limited (AFL) recently conducted Deshayata Jawayak – a financial literacy and management workshop for small and medium-scale entrepreneurs in Batticaloa. This is the second time this programme is being conducted, with the first being held in Matara and covering the Southern Province.
Nearly 100 SMEs from the Eastern Province including over 50 female entrepreneurs, participated in this program. The program addressed financial literacy and management, best industry practices, use of technology to increase efficiency, assessing new business avenues, the importance of establishing a brand name for a product, effective utilisation, management and maintaining debt facilities.
The importance of following best financial literacy practices as well as management tactics to tackle the current economic issues while maintaining a good outcome from their businesses was also addressed.Participants were also given an opportunity to express their views and discuss the problems they are currently facing.
Chief Marketing Officer, Assetline Finance Limited Ajantha Premasiri said, “We all know that SMEs are the backbone and cornerstone of our economy, therefore we need to build capacity and equip them with the latest know-how for effective implementation.”
He also commented on the thirst for knowledge and the passion among the participants to take their enterprise to the next level. This was even more apparent among the female entrepreneurs, whose commitment and resourcefulness are inspirational.
Premasiri said that AFL intends to conduct this program across the country and to further empower, support and encourage more women to enter the workforce, Assetline has introduced LiyaDiriya an exclusive financial solution to develop the women entrepreneurship.
The resource person of the workshop was Athithan Arunthavarajah, a Chartered Accountant and Business Consultant, a Board Member – of IMED and Lead Mentor for the CA Sri Lanka SME Task Force.
The flagship of the David Pieris Group financial services vertical, AFL is a finance company licensed by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka. AFL has 55 branches island-wide focusing on offering financial solutions for SMEs, Individuals and corporate entities.