Dr.Praful Patel, Regional Vice President of the World Bank for South Asia, visited the Sarvodaya village Pore, located in Athurugiriya in the outskirts of Colombo, on 17th May 2006. The World Bank Vice President and Mr.Peter Harrold, Country Director of World Bank for Sri Lanka were welcomed by the President and the other officials of the Pore Society.
The Society officials elaborated the history and the development of their village society which was awarded best Society for Microfinance for the year in 2003. The society has a savings base of Rs.93 million with a cumulative loan portfolio of over Rs.200 million. Dr. Patel who is a strong believer of the power of communities and use of micro-credit as a means of empowering communities, engaged himself in a lively dialogue with the women leaders and entrepreneurs. Dr.Patel, whilst appreciating and commending the efforts of the Society as well as of Sarvodaya, emphasized the Bank’s support for the ongoing peace process, enhanced economic growth, and the harnessing of community empowerment and local initiative for poverty reduction.
Dr.A.T.Ariyaratne, Founder-President of Sarvodaya, Dr.Vinya Ariyaratne, Executive Director, Mr.Shakila Wijewardene, Managing Director of SEEDS and Mr.Emil Anthony, Deputy Managing Director of SEEDS were also present at the occasion.