HNB launches ‘Season of Giving’ initiative to raise funds for SOS Children’s Villages via SOLO App

• Donates Rs. 10 for every purchase above Rs. 250 made on SOLO app   
• Creates option to directly donate to SOS Children’s Villages via SOLO app     

Contributing towards the wellbeing of children who has lost parental care in Sri Lanka, leading private sector bank HNB PLC, announced the launch of the ‘Season of Giving’ fundraiser via its digital payment app, SOLO, in support of SOS Children’s Villages.  

The bank stepped up efforts to raise funds for the organization in response to difficulties faced by SOS Children’s Villages in funding its operations during the COVID-19 pandemic. Leveraging its expertise on digital banking solutions HNB launched the initiative on SOLO, creating the opportunity for users to donate to a worthy cause.   

SOS Children’s Villages creates loving family like care environment for children who has lost parental care in 136 countries including Sri Lanka. At present, the organisation ensures the wellbeing of 860 children and alleviated 3,200 low-income families in Piliyandala, Anuradhapura, Jaffna, Nuwara Eliya, Galle and Monaragala.   

As part of the initiative, HNB will contribute Rs.10 for every transaction of Rs.250 carried out by any SOLO user. Additionally, the bank also established an option in the app for SOLO users to personally donate any amount directly to SOS Children’s Villages through the Direct Pay option.   

“As we enter the season of giving, we are proud to serve as a partner to SOS Children’s Villages and their remarkable work in supporting orphaned, abandoned and less fortunate children and families in Sri Lanka. Having served as banking partner for SOS Children’s Villages for over 40 years, we have witnessed first-hand the positive impact they have had on the lives of so many children in their care. Therefore, we are delighted to launch this initiative on our popular e-wallet platform SOLO, as it allows our customers to be a part of this wonderful process,” HNB Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Jonathan Alles said.    

SOS Children’s Villages brand ambassador, former Sri Lankan cricketer and former ICC Match Referee, Roshan Mahanama, led the initiative which was launched at a special ceremony hosted at  HNB Towers with the participation of HNB Managing Director and CEO, Jonathan Alles, HNB Deputy General Manager ,Retail and SME Banking, Sanjay Wijemanne and SOS Children’s Villages Sri Lanka, National Director, Divakar Rathnadurai.   

Brand ambassador of SOS Children’s Villages Sri Lanka, Mr. Roshan Mahanama said: “Sri Lanka is among the Top 10 most charitable countries in the world. We have always supported and nurtured the less fortunate with the public donating generously towards such initiatives. We hope that many will come forward during this Christmas season to help in whatever way they can to provide for the children and families of SOS Children’s Villages.”     

Commenting on the initiative HNB Deputy General Manager Retail and SME Banking Sanjay   

Wijemanne said: “Given the unprecedented challenges which we have faced as a nation due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we wanted to take additional steps to ensure that organisations such as SOS Children’s Villages are able to continue their incredibly important work with children and families across the island. It is with a sense of pride and passion that we embark on this initiative which we hope will provide for less fortunate segments in our population. We invite all our SOLO users to join together for this vital effort.”     

“We are grateful to HNB for supporting such an initiative during this critical time. HNB has supported our organisation over the years, and we hope this new initiative will strengthen the bond we already share,” SOS Children’s Villages Sri Lanka, National Director Divakar Rathnadurai said.     

The HNB SOLO app functions by transforming any smart phone into an e-wallet, without including any requirements for registration, subscription or rental fees. Customers can switch between many bank accounts/credit cards as a digital payment channel on the app, making it an increasingly popular option among Sri Lankan consumers.       

Envisioned to be the one app for all payment needs, SOLO offers users the facility to pay utility bills, mobile recharges and make payments island wide via Lanka QR  

Developed in line with the Central Bank of Sri Lanka’s (CBSL) Lanka QR mandate for licensed commercial banks, HNB SOLO offers the opportunity to complete transactions via the app while maintaining social distancing and avoiding the exchange of cash or cards. The app also provides users with the opportunity to digitally store all payment instruments, including VISA, MASTER debit and credit cards, as well as any bank account connected to the JustPay payment echo system.    

Additionally, HNB also successfully launched the Stay Safe COVID Tracer QR code solution via the SOLO app. The solution has been introduced by the Information and Communication Technology Agency (ICTA) of Sri Lanka to help contain the spread of COVID-19.     

With 252 customer centres across the country, HNB is one of Sri Lanka’s largest, most technologically innovative banks having won local and global recognition for its efforts to drive forward a new paradigm in digital banking. The bank has continuously won prestigious accolades including being declared Best Retail Bank in Sri Lanka for 2020 by the Asian Banker Magazine for the eleventh occasion in addition to being highest ranked privately owned commercial bank in Sri Lanka by the prestigious Banker Magazine Top 1000 global rankings 2020.    

Locally, HNB claimed seven awards at the Best Corporate Citizen Sustainability Awards 2019. The first Sri Lankan bank to obtain an international credit rating, HNB is rated on par with the sovereign by Moody’s Investors Service, and the national long term rating of HNB revised upward by two notches to AA+ (lka) recently by Fitch Ratings (Lanka) Ltd.