“The SANASA movement is strengthened with the hard earned savings of its members and not with ill-gotten gains of scrupulous individuals,” said the Chairman of the SANASA movement, Dr P. A. Kiriwandeniya.
He was addressing those present at the 50th anniversary celebrations of the SANASA society at Posathugoda which was once a little village in the Dikwella Divisional Secretariat area.
“Recently I was informed by a branch that an individual wished to deposit ten million rupees with SANASA but I asked them not to accept it until we had met with the intended depositor and found out how he possessed the large amount of money. In the course of the ensuing discussion we were convinced that this money had not been earned legitimately so we refused to accept the deposit,” Kiriwandeniya said.
“In my opinion the deposits you have accumulated as a society situated in a developing area such as this should improve. Through the SANASA movement we must prevent the people being fleeced by unscrupulous financial institutions and various dubious credit schemes and scams. It is the cooperative schemes that have been most successful partners in enhancing the livelihood of the people in many developed countries,” he said.
“This society was started in 1967 with just 39 members but today, fifty years later, we have a membership of 400 and deposits of Rs. 72.5 million,” said Branch Manager Nadika Dedunu.
“As you know fifty years ago Posathugoda was a little known village where the majority of the people toiled to earn a living by agriculture.” “This society was named the best SANASA society in the Matara district in 1988 just 21 years after its inception and third best society in the island in the year 2000,” said founder president D H Gamage, reminiscing on the fifty-year history of the society.
Mementos of appreciation were presented to founder members, D.H. Gamage, H.G.K. Punchisingho, L.P. Chandradasa, D.A. Pemawathy and Soma Dissanayaike by Dr. Kiriwandeniya. In addition, scholarships were awarded to those who had gained admittance to university, while child account holders who had won the painting and essay competition conducted as part of the 50th anniversary celebrations received their gifts.
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