The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Sri Lanka and global payments technology leader Visa have announced a landmark partnership aimed at strengthening financial inclusion and economic empowerment among women and youth living in estate communities across the country. The initiative marks a significant step forward in addressing long-standing financial barriers faced by some of Sri Lanka's most underserved populations, beginning with a focused pilot programme at Hope Estate in Hewaheta, Nuwara Eliya.
A Strategic Partnership for Economic Empowerment
The partnership was formalized through an official signing ceremony, bringing together senior representatives from both organizations. Azusa Kubota, UNDP Resident Representative in Sri Lanka, signed on behalf of UNDP, underscoring the organization's firm commitment to inclusive economic development and sustainable growth across all segments of Sri Lankan society. The ceremony signaled not only a formal agreement but also a shared vision to dismantle the systemic financial barriers that have historically excluded estate community residents from mainstream economic participation.
Estate communities in Sri Lanka, predominantly made up of Tamil workers and their descendants who have labored on tea and rubber plantations for generations, have long faced significant challenges in accessing formal financial services. Limited banking infrastructure, lack of digital literacy, language barriers, and insufficient credit history have collectively contributed to a cycle of financial exclusion that disproportionately affects women and young people within these communities.
Why Estate Communities Need Financial Inclusion
Sri Lanka's estate sector is a critical pillar of the national economy, contributing substantially to the country's export revenue through tea and rubber production. Yet, despite their enormous economic contribution, workers and families residing in estate communities often remain cut off from the financial tools and services that could help them build savings, access credit, and invest in their futures.
Women in these communities face compounding disadvantages. Beyond the general barriers to financial access, they frequently encounter cultural and social restrictions that limit their financial autonomy and decision-making power. Young people, meanwhile, often lack the foundational financial literacy skills needed to navigate banking systems or leverage digital payment platforms effectively.
The UNDP-Visa partnership directly targets these gaps, aiming to equip women and youth with the knowledge, tools, and access they need to participate meaningfully in the formal economy. By combining UNDP's extensive development expertise and community reach with Visa's cutting-edge payment technology and financial education resources, the collaboration is uniquely positioned to drive sustainable, measurable change.
The Hope Estate Pilot: A Blueprint for Change
The pilot initiative at Hope Estate in Hewaheta, Nuwara Eliya, serves as the foundation for what both organizations hope will become a scalable model replicable across other estate communities throughout Sri Lanka. Hope Estate was selected as the starting point due to its representative characteristics and the existing community infrastructure that can support the rollout of financial inclusion programmes.
The pilot is expected to introduce a range of interventions, including financial literacy training tailored to the specific needs and contexts of estate community residents, access to digital payment solutions that reduce reliance on cash transactions, and capacity-building workshops designed to help women and youth understand and utilize formal banking and savings products. These efforts will be delivered in a culturally sensitive and linguistically accessible manner to ensure maximum community engagement and participation.
By testing and refining these approaches at the grassroots level, UNDP and Visa aim to gather valuable insights and data that will inform the broader rollout of the programme across Sri Lanka's estate sector.
Aligning with Global Development Goals
The partnership aligns closely with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 1 (No Poverty), SDG 5 (Gender Equality), SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities). Financial inclusion is widely recognized as a critical enabler of sustainable development, providing individuals and communities with the economic resilience needed to withstand shocks and pursue long-term prosperity.
For Visa, the partnership reflects the company's global commitment to enabling financial access for 500 million underserved individuals worldwide. Sri Lanka's estate communities represent precisely the kind of population where targeted, technology-driven financial inclusion efforts can make a profound and lasting difference.
Looking Ahead
As the pilot programme gets underway at Hope Estate, both UNDP Sri Lanka and Visa have expressed strong optimism about the potential for this collaboration to transform lives and create lasting economic opportunities for estate community women and youth. The success of the initiative will depend on active community participation, ongoing stakeholder engagement, and a commitment to continuous learning and adaptation.
Ultimately, this partnership represents more than a programme — it is a powerful statement that financial inclusion is not a privilege but a right, and that with the right partnerships and tools, even the most marginalized communities in Sri Lanka can achieve economic dignity and independence. The road ahead is promising, and the Hope Estate pilot may well become the first chapter of a much larger success story for financial inclusion across the island nation.