JB Financial introduces HerWealth initiative

• Encourages Sri Lankan women to begin their investment journey

Christine Dias Bandaranaike

To celebrate the International Women’s Day, JB Financial introduced HerWealth, an initiative to inspire and educate Sri Lankan women to have the confidence to begin investing for their financial future. 

The programme aims to empower women to improve their financial knowledge and offers easy-to-use tools for managing money.

Women represent 51.7 percent of Sri Lanka’s population, yet only around 33 percent are part of the formal workforce. Many still face barriers to accessing financial education and investment opportunities due to low financial literacy and little to no investment experience. To help change this, HerWealth was launched on International Women’s Day 2026 to help women go beyond saving and start making investment decisions.

JB Financial CEO Christine Dias Bandaranaike, CFA said, “As women, we often put others first. But when tough times come, many of us have little to rely on. Financial literacy isn’t just a skill; it’s a key part of a woman’s journey. It helps us build wealth, stay independent and face the future with confidence.”

“As a woman in the capital markets, I’m passionate about sharing this knowledge and encouraging other women to learn new ways to make their money work for them,” she added.

HerWealth is meant for women who are new to financial markets but highlights principles that are useful to most. Women aged 18 and older can join and start investing early. Participants can begin with a money market fund while understanding its true importance and place in a structured financial plan. As they gain confidence, they can explore other options like equity funds, which invest in shares and aim for long-term growth.

“When women start investing young, they benefit from compounding, where returns grow over time. The sooner we start to learn and to invest, the bigger the long-term rewards,” she said.

Opening a HerWealth account is simple. Participants fill out an application and provide their National Identity Card (NIC) plus proof of billing address if it’s different. Female relationship managers support new investors at every stage, offering guidance on choosing suitable funds, understanding options and building confidence in financial decisions.