Visa Empowers Women Entrepreneurs in Sri Lanka with Financial Inclusion and Digital Tools
Visa, a global leader in digital payments, has reaffirmed its commitment to empowering women entrepreneurs across Sri Lanka as part of its International Women’s Month initiatives. Through targeted support in financial inclusion and business digitisation, Visa aims to uplift women-led enterprises and promote inclusive economic growth.
As part of the celebrations, Visa hosted a special event in Colombo titled “Overcoming Barriers to Growth”, in collaboration with Square Hub, a business accelerator. The event brought together 35 emerging women entrepreneurs from diverse sectors including fashion, e-commerce, fintech, manufacturing, agriculture, and technology. Participants engaged in interactive discussions, networking, and knowledge-sharing sessions with leading industry experts.
Avanthi Colombage, Country Manager for Visa Sri Lanka and Maldives, emphasized Visa’s global mission: “We believe in uplifting everyone, everywhere. Our aim is to empower capable women entrepreneurs in Sri Lanka to overcome challenges and grow successful businesses.”
Visa has long championed women in business, recognising the common barriers they face—limited access to capital, networks, and mentorship. To address these challenges, Visa has implemented several initiatives in Sri Lanka:
- Grants & Support via The Asia Foundation: In celebration of 35 years in Sri Lanka, Visa provided grants to 35 women entrepreneurs to help launch or scale their businesses. This included financial support, skills training, and resources in multiple languages (Sinhala, Tamil, and English).
- International Exposure: In partnership with The Asia Foundation, Visa supported 30 women-led businesses to participate in the 2024 International Industry Expo, enabling valuable exposure and networking opportunities with global stakeholders.
- Digital & Financial Literacy: Visa rolled out a suite of training modules aimed at boosting women’s digital and financial skills, available in local languages to enhance accessibility and relevance.
- Payment & Credit Solutions: Visa introduced several custom-designed financial products for women, including:
- Tailored credit cards for businesswomen with benefits like waived fees and business loans.
- E-commerce tools via local payment gateways to help small businesses go digital.
- Affordable mobile-based payment solutions that let small-scale vendors, such as home bakers and beauty salons, accept card payments without expensive hardware.
Through these initiatives, Visa has helped over 50,000 small businesses in Sri Lanka transition to digital payments, enhancing both revenue and resilience.
Visa concluded by reiterating its long-term dedication to fostering an inclusive economy. “By equipping women entrepreneurs with the right tools, we help unlock their full potential and contribute to the nation’s growth,” said Colombage.