HNB Invests LKR 3.2 Million in Vocational Training to Empower 80 Young People with SOS Children’s Villages Sri Lanka

HNB Invests LKR 3.2 Million in Vocational Training to Empower 80 Young People with SOS Children’s Villages Sri Lanka

Image credit: Colombo Gazette.

Hatton National Bank (HNB) has committed LKR 3.2 million to vocational training and career development for 80 young people in partnership with SOS Children’s Villages Sri Lanka. The funding will support young people at the organisation’s Vocational Training Centres in Jaffna and Malpotha, strengthening opportunities to gain practical, job-oriented skills and prepare for employment.

Reported by the Colombo Gazette on 26 October 2026, and also covered by Adaderana Biz English, the commitment builds on a long-standing partnership between the bank and the child-care organisation. The announced focus is on equipping young people with skills and confidence that can help them pursue meaningful work, increase their financial independence and build sustainable livelihoods.

The announcement places vocational education within a broader transition: moving from training towards employment and, in turn, greater independence. For young people who have lost parental care, or who face circumstances that may put their care at risk, accessible and relevant training can be an important part of building a secure future.

Practical skills as a bridge to employment

Vocational training is designed to connect learning with the practical requirements of work. Alongside technical instruction, career development and workplace readiness can help participants understand how to apply their skills in employment settings and take informed steps towards a livelihood.

SOS Children’s Villages Sri Lanka’s training centres provide practical, job-oriented training, career development and workplace-readiness support. HNB’s contribution will further strengthen these opportunities for 80 young people at the Jaffna and Malpotha centres. The announcement does not specify individual courses or how the funding will be allocated between the two locations.

Illustrative AI image; it does not depict an actual participant or SOS centre.

The benefits of this kind of support extend beyond a certificate or a technical capability. Preparing for employment can also involve developing confidence, understanding workplace expectations and building the practical skills needed to take on greater responsibility. These elements are reflected in the aims of the partnership described by both news sources.

Divakar Ratnadurai, National Director of SOS Children’s Villages Sri Lanka, said: “Vocational training offers holistic avenues of growth for young people with more than technical skills. It gives them the confidence, workplace readiness, and practical capabilities needed to take meaningful steps towards employment and independent living. We value our long-standing partnership with HNB and its continued commitment to creating opportunities that enable young people to build stronger and more sustainable futures.”

A wider network of care and opportunity

SOS Children’s Villages Sri Lanka has provided long-term, family-like care for children who have lost parental care since 1981. The organisation also supports children at risk of losing parental care through its Family Strengthening Programmes.

Today, it operates six Children’s Villages and Family Strengthening Programmes across 11 locations. Its four Vocational Training Centres are located in Anuradhapura, Monaragala, Jaffna and Malpotha. Across these services, the organisation provides children and young people with care, security and opportunities to develop skills for the future.

This wider network is relevant to the HNB partnership because vocational training forms one part of a continuum of support. Care and stability can help young people develop a foundation; practical training can then support their preparation for adult life and the world of work. The new commitment focuses specifically on vocational training and career development, while contributing to the organisation’s broader work with children and young people.

Illustrative AI image; it is not a photograph of an SOS Children’s Villages Sri Lanka training centre.

Investment with long-term aims

The LKR 3.2 million commitment is directed towards supporting training and career development for 80 young people at the two centres. The partnership’s stated objectives include improving employability, supporting greater financial independence and helping young people build sustainable livelihoods.

Those outcomes depend on more than a single contribution: relevant instruction, continued guidance and opportunities to apply skills are all important parts of a transition into work. The announcement does not set out a timeline for the training or specify employment outcomes, so the impact will ultimately be assessed through the opportunities and progress available to the young people involved.

The reported initiative also highlights the role that sustained collaboration can play in youth development. HNB’s support is described as part of a long-standing partnership, rather than a one-off contribution, and the renewed commitment is intended to strengthen existing training opportunities. Such continuity matters when young people need support that reaches beyond initial instruction and helps prepare them for independent living.

Illustrative AI image; it does not represent a specific trainee, instructor or location.

The closing message from the partnership is that skills development can help create pathways towards independence, employability and sustainable livelihoods, while contributing to efforts to break the cycle of poverty. For the 80 young people involved, the commitment represents additional support for practical learning and preparation for the next stage of their lives.

For readers in Sri Lanka and abroad who support youth-focused causes, the initiative is a reminder of the value of programmes that combine care with opportunities to learn and work. Its most important measure will be the lasting capability and confidence that young people can carry from training into their futures.

Sources

• Colombo Gazette: https://colombogazette.com/2026/10/26/hnb-invests-lkr-3-2-million-in-vocational-training-to-empower-80-young-people-through-strengthened-partnership-with-sos-childrens-villages-sri-lanka
• Adaderana Biz English: https://bizenglish.adaderana.lk/hnb-invests-lkr-3-2-million-in-vocational-training-to-empower-80-young-people-through-strengthened-partnership-with-sos-childrens-villages-sri-lanka/

This article was written based on the source https://colombogazette.com/2026/10/26/hnb-invests-lkr-3-2-million-in-vocational-training-to-empower-80-young-people-through-strengthened-partnership-with-sos-childrens-villages-sri-lanka, kindly email us at info@eLanka.com.au if any information needs to be corrected.

This article was written based on the source https://bizenglish.adaderana.lk/hnb-invests-lkr-3-2-million-in-vocational-training-to-empower-80-young-people-through-strengthened-partnership-with-sos-childrens-villages-sri-lanka/, kindly email us at info@eLanka.com.au if any information needs to be corrected.

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