Zero Cost Diploma Program with Lithan Academy Singapore and HNB – The Island

To take charge of your financial future

Asia Securities, a leading investment firm in Sri Lanka, has launched DhanaMaga (ධනමග / தன மார்க்கம்), a trilingual financial education program aimed at helping Sri Lankans take control of their financial future.

DhanaMaga, the first of its kind online portal and mobile app was officially launched on February 21, 2022. The aim of this initiative by Asia Securities is to provide answers to all Sri Lankans on their money-related queries. ⁠ – to understand how to finance small businesses and the development of personal financial plans, to understand the financial statements of the company and to choose the appropriate investment options.

On the importance of financial education in fostering financial stability, Asia Securities Chairman Dumith Fernando said, “At Asia Securities, we talk to business owners and individual investors every day. Therefore, we understand firsthand how critical financial literacy is to enable people to actively participate in the economy and secure their personal financial future. Our financial literacy initiative, DhanaMaga, gives Sri Lankans, from all walks of life, the resources to help finance a small business without exposing themselves to too much risk or managing their money wisely by planning and investing for the future needs of their family. We are delighted to be spearheading this initiative to build a strong foundation that will support the goal of prosperity for all citizens of our nation.

DhanaMaga offers over 100 engaging and easy-to-follow videos available in Sinhala, Tamil and English, suitable for any age, skill level and life stage. The videos can be viewed for free via the portal www.dhanamaga.lk or by downloading the mobile application.

Self-directed videos also allow visitors to learn at their own pace, anytime, anywhere. The video content has been reviewed for relevance and accuracy by an independent DhanaMaga program committee comprised of key local experts with over 70 years of experience in financial regulation and education.

Keynote guest Viraj Dayaratne PC, Chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission, commented on the launch: “It is commendable that Asia Securities has had the foresight and understanding to introduce a trilingual program to provide all Sri Lankans the knowledge necessary to have an equal opportunity when it comes. investments and management of their finances.

Sri Lanka has a literacy rate of 92% and the country’s financial literacy rate is 35%, compared to an average of 65% in developed countries (S&P Global FinLit Survey). Meanwhile, 74% of Sri Lankans have opened an account at a formal financial institution. Lack of financial education and financial access is the main cause of low levels of financial literacy.

Guest of honour, Mahela Jayawardena, former cricket captain of Sri Lanka also shared his thoughts. “I would like to thank Asia Securities for inviting me as a guest of honor for the launch of the DhanaMaga platform, an exciting initiative that has the potential to benefit Sri Lankans from all walks of life, especially young people. I wish the team well as they strive to execute their vision to improve financial literacy in Sri Lanka.

One of the highlights of the event was the first engagement partnership for Dhanamaga, with Room to Read, a global non-profit organization active in Sri Lanka, which seeks to transform the lives of children in low-income communities. income with a focus on literacy and gender equality in education. . The partnership with DhanaMaga enables Room to Read to provide a major financial literacy program to over one million participants in its girls’ education program.

Commenting on the signing of the MoU, Shevanthi Jayasuriya, Country Director of Room to Read Sri Lanka said, “We are proud to have partnered with Asia Securities as together we have been able to set up the platform. form DhanaMaga, but also lay the groundwork for even more projects that will benefit the youth and ultimately the nation as well. We look forward to working with them on this project and many more in the future.

While many Sri Lankans are economically active, they sometimes lack a basic education in key principles of finance. This not only prevents them from reaping the rewards of their economic activity, but also puts them at risk of making bad financial decisions that keep them locked in debt and poverty. While the public sector may have a responsibility to address this issue, Asia Securities believes that the private sector must also play its part in improving financial literacy in the national interest.

visit www.dhanamaga.lk or download the Dhanamaga app