HNB Santa Brigade Campaign lights up lives of children

From left:  Anuk de Silva (Manager- Marketing Communications HNB), Gauthami Niranjan – (Head of Cards, HNB), Upul Adikari (Head of Marketing HNB), Dr. Savithrie Dharmaratne (Medical Officer-Planning, Lady Ridgeway Hospital), Dr. G. Wijesuriya (Director, Lady Ridgeway Hospital), Dr. M. Rubasingha (Consultant E.N.T Surgeon, Lady Ridgeway Hospital), Avanthi Colombage (Country Manager, Sri Lanka & Maldives, Visa), Nalin Dissanayake (Director Account Executive, Sri Lanka & Maldives, Visa).

During the holiday season, HNB PLC, in collaboration with Visa, brought to life the true spirit of giving with its transformative ‘Santa Brigade’ campaign. 

The initiative provided hearing aids to children with hearing impairments, offering them the invaluable gift of sound and an opportunity to engage with the world around them.

“Christmas embodies the spirit of sharing love, compassion, and kindness, especially for children,” said HNB Head of Marketing, Upul Adikari.

“We are proud to be a part of this meaningful initiative with Visa to give these children the lifelong gift of hearing. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to all Sri Lankans who supported this campaign, truly reflecting the spirit of the season and making a profound difference in their lives.”

The campaign mobilized community participation through an innovative approach using a web platform that incorporated a virtual decibel meter to measure engagement. Participants were onboarded through a microsite where they made a loud ‘HO! HO! HO!’ cheer, which in turn raised the virtual decibel meter. 

Avanthi Colombage, Country Manager, Sri Lanka and Maldives, Visa said “The Santa Brigade is a one-of-its-kind campaign which represents a socially powerful partnership not just between HNB and Visa, but where we are joining forces with our cardholders to do collective good. In the festive spirit, there are few things that bring more joy than creating a direct, real impact in the lives of young children, and by providing essential hearing aids, we hope to enhance the lives of the youth of our country in a meaningful way.” 

The Santa Brigade campaign successfully achieved its objective of funding hearing aids for children in need, opening new avenues for academic, social, and emotional development. This exemplifies the transformative potential of strategic partnerships in addressing crucial societal challenges.

Commenting on the significance of the campaign, and its collective contributions, Lady Ridgeway Hospital Director, Dr. G. Wijesuriya said, “As Sri Lanka’s leading pediatric hospital, The Lady Ridgeway Hospital for Children serves patients from all regions of the country, including the Northern and Eastern provinces. This donation is aimed at enhancing hearing facilities for children with hearing impairments, a significant need for many of our young patients.”

As this year’s Santa Brigade initiative concludes, HNB and Visa express their sincere appreciation to all who contributed to its success by joining the Santa Brigade. The campaign serves as a powerful demonstration of the positive impact achieved through collective community action in transforming lives.