To celebrate International Women's Day, JB Financial introduced HerWealth, an initiative to inspire and educate Sri Lankan women to have the confidence to begin investing for their financial future. The programme aims to empower women to improve their financial knowledge and offers easy-to-use tools for managing money.

Women represent 51.7% of Sri Lanka’s population, yet only around 33% are part of the formal workforce. Many still face barriers to accessing financial education and investment opportunities due to low financial literacy and little to no investment experience. To help change this, HerWealth was launched on International Women's Day 2026 to help women go beyond saving and start making investment decisions.

Christine Dias Bandaranaike, CFA, CEO of JB Financial, emphasised how important financial knowledge and confidence are for women. “As women, we often put others first. But when tough times come, many of us have little to rely on. Financial literacy isn’t just a skill; it’s a key part of a woman’s journey. It helps us build wealth, stay independent, and face the future with confidence.”

“As a woman in the capital markets, I’m passionate about sharing this knowledge and encouraging other women to learn new ways to make their money work for them,” she added.

HerWealth is meant for women who are new to financial markets, but highlights principles that are useful to most. Women aged 18 and older can join and start investing early. Participants can begin with a money market fund while understanding its true importance and place in a structured financial plan. As they gain confidence, they can explore other options like equity funds, which invest in shares and aim for long-term growth.

Bandaranaike emphasised that starting early is crucial for building wealth. “When women start investing young, they benefit from compounding, where returns grow over time. The sooner we start to learn and to invest, the bigger the long-term rewards,” she said.

Opening a HerWealth account is simple. Participants fill out an application and provide their National Identity Card (NIC) plus proof of billing address if it’s different. Female relationship managers support new investors at every stage, offering guidance on choosing suitable funds, understanding options, and building confidence in financial decisions. Ongoing support includes one-on-one consultations, access to educational materials, and invitations to regular workshops where women can learn about investment strategies, market trends, and personal finance basics. This combination of personalised service and learning opportunities reassures new investors that help is always on hand. Although funds can be withdrawn with one day’s notice, the programme encourages a long-term approach to growing savings.

Sri Lanka has a strong tradition of saving, which helps keep households stable. But as markets change, moving from just saving to smart investing is important for better economic participation and stronger financial security. “By learning to save, invest, and build a nest egg early, women set the foundation for security and freedom,” Bandaranaike said. “Financial literacy helps women be not just caregivers but architects of their family’s future. When women do well financially, families and communities thrive too.” JB Financial hopes to inspire more Sri Lankan women to take the first step towards investing, building long-term wealth, and securing their financial independence. For more information, call 0702 111 999 or visit their website https://www.jbvantage.lk. JB Financial is an independent, SEC-licensed, wealth management company dedicated to building and preserving our clients’ wealth since 2011 and is part of the Jafferjee Brothers Group.