HNB joins USAID-funded ‘YouLead’ project

Hatton National Bank Plc entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with International Executive Service Corps (IESC), which will implement the US Agency for International Development’s (US AID) funded youth entrepreneurship and advancement programme called ‘YouLead’. 

The four-year project aims to transform youth employability in Sri Lanka and work closely with private sector partners to vastly improve technical and vocational education and training. 

Through the partnership, HNB will work with IESC to enhance the business skills of young entrepreneurs and encourage youth led, start-up enterprises.

An essential component of the programme will be HNB’s business support service, where the bank will provide loans to youth led, start ups and small businesses that lack access to affordable capital or may not qualify for traditional sources of credit. Deputy General Manager, SME of HNB, Jude Fernando said, “HNB has played a pivotal role in its legacy of assisting Micro, Small and Medium Scale Entrepreneurs (MSME’s) and we are delighted to partner ‘YouLead’ in this initiative of creating entrepreneurs among the unemployed. At HNB, we believe that strong communities are the foundation of a prosperous society.
Through our MSME initiatives, we find innovative commercial solutions that address social and civic challenges in communities across Sri Lanka. At HNB, we believe that strong communities are the foundation of a prosperous society. Through our MSME initiatives, we find innovative commercial solutions that address social and civic challenges in communities across Sri Lanka.”