What Berendina does

Berendina is a privately held Sri Lankan development organization and microfinance group headquartered in Nawala, Sri Lanka, operating through two integrated entities: Berendina Micro Investments Company Limited (BMIC), Sri Lanka's first licensed microfinance company regulated by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka under the Microfinance Act No. 06 of 2016, and Berendina Development Services (Guarantee) Limited (BDS), a grant-funded community development NGO. BMIC provides group-based micro-credit, collateral savings ("Jaya Surekum"), Enterprise Development Services (EDS) training, "Suwa Sahana" emergency cash grants, and the Bright Student Scholarship (BSS) program to unbanked and underprivileged clients — over 80% of whom are women — through a proprietary network of 35 branches across 13 districts. BDS delivers grant-funded programs in livelihoods, water/sanitation/hygiene, housing, health, education, gender equality (MenCare), and disaster relief, serving over 25,000 families annually across 7+ districts.

The underlying technology stack consists of a microfinance core banking platform supporting collateral savings and a non-financial services layer (EDS) for client training, supplemented by the ekade.lk e-commerce marketplace for rural producer products and a digital transformation initiative launched via a January 2026 MOU with the Department for Registration of Persons (DRP) to integrate digital identity verification for KYC and regulatory compliance. No public-facing API, SDK, or AI/ML capabilities are referenced. Distribution is anchored on a Cluster Leader community-recruitment model that penetrates rural and plantation geographies, complemented by partnerships with HSBC (plantation youth programs), CBM (disability-inclusive economic growth), HelpAge Sri Lanka (elder microfinance), Kelani Valley/Kotagala/Hatton Plantations, and Berendina Stichting (Netherlands). Berendina generates revenue primarily through microfinance interest income on a Rs. 6 billion loan portfolio (August 2025), savings deposit float (Jaya Surekum), donor grants channeled through BDS, and ekade.lk marketplace commissions, with explicit mission alignment to providing credit at the "lowest possible cost" to unbanked populations.

Name

Berendina

Legal name

Berendina Development Services (Guarantee) Limited / Berendina Micro Investments Company Limited

Website

https://berendina.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Berendina is a Sri Lankan non-profit development group operating Sri Lanka's first licensed microfinance company (BMIC, 35 branches, Rs. 6B loan portfolio, 100,000+ clients) and a grant-funded development NGO (BDS, 25,000+ families annually), serving unbanked low-income communities across 13 districts.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Microfinance and Community Development

NAICS

Health and Welfare Funds (525120), Emergency and Other Relief Services (62423), Individual and Family Services (6241)

akta.pro primary industry

Microfinance, Financial Inclusion & Inclusive Markets (BPAGABAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Cash & Voucher Assistance (CVA) and Emergency Livelihood Support (BPAGAAAJ), Cash Assistance & Social Safety Net Delivery for Displaced Populations (BPADAHAH)

Keywords

• Microfinance services
• Microcredit loans
• Community development programs
• Collateral savings products
• Enterprise development training

Headquarters

HQ city

Nawala

HQ country

Sri Lanka

HQ region

Asia

Offices9 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Microfinance interest income (BMIC): Primary revenue stream: interest on micro-credit loans issued to low-income clients across Sri Lanka. BMIC is regulated by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka under the Microfinance Act No 06 of 2016. Loan portfolio reached Rs. 6 billion in August 2025.
2. Collateral savings deposits (Jaya Surekum): Deposit-taking savings product ("Jaya Surekum") offered to BMIC clients as a value-added service alongside credit.
3. Grants and donor funding (BDS): Berendina Development Services (Guarantee) Limited is grant-funded, delivering programs in livelihoods, water/sanitation/hygiene, housing, health, education, community infrastructure, and disaster response across 7+ districts, supporting over 25,000 families annually.
4. ekade.lk marketplace commissions: Online marketplace ekade.lk sells rural producer products (crafts, batik, handloom, herbal, spice) at fairs (e.g., SLECC New Year Fair) and online, generating sales income for Berendina-supported rural enterprises.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Berendina operates a hybrid microfinance and community development model: BMIC provides group-based microcredit, collateral savings (Jaya Surekum), Enterprise Development Services training, and value-added grants to over 100,000 low-income clients (predominantly women) across 13 districts of Sri Lanka; BDS delivers grant-funded programs in livelihoods, water/sanitation/hygiene, housing, health, education, and disaster relief to more than 25,000 families annually. The group is anchored by a 35-branch BMIC network, a Cluster Leader community model, and the ekade.lk e-commerce marketplace for rural producer products.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• BMIC (Berendina Micro Investments Company): Microfinance arm of Berendina offering micro loans, savings, Enterprise Development Services (EDS), Bright Student Scholarships (BSS), and Suwasahana medical/funeral cash grants.
• BDS (Berendina Development Services)
• ekade.lk
• Berendina Life Line
• Berendina Minisath Sarana / Berendinavin Manithabimana Uthavi
• Bright Student Scholarship (BSS) Program
• MenCare Program

Quantifiable outcome

• BMIC loan portfolio reached Rs. 6 Billion (August 2025) — up from Rs. 3.7 billion in Jan 2023 and Rs. 4.7 billion in March 2024
• +6 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered flagship / strategic-tier, core and minor.

• Department for Registration of Persons (DRP), Sri Lankaflagship / strategic-tierStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 January 2026On 28 January 2026, BMIC signed an MOU with the DRP at Suhurupaya, Battaramulla to drive digital excellence in microfinance. The collaboration will streamline identity verification, enhance regulatory compliance, and enable delivery of more secure, efficient, and reliable services to clients as part of BMIC's ongoing digital transformation. DRP signatories include Commissioner General Mrs. M. S. P. Suriyapperuma, Additional Commissioner General Mrs. K. H. J. L. Senarathna, Commissioner (R&D) Mrs. Lakmali A. Jayasinghe, and Development Officer Mr. Sisira Kumara; BMIC signatories include MD/CEO Mr. Charith Fernando, Head of IT Mr. Maneka Peiris, and Senior Executive Mr. Sachithra Praveen.
• HelpAge Sri LankacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2024BMIC extended its loan partnership with HelpAge Sri Lanka, announced in October 2024. This renewed collaboration supports older persons through combined microfinance access and elder-focused community development programs (including the "promoting active ageing" initiative in partnership with BDS and HelpAge Sri Lanka for elder societies like Upul Elders' Society in Horowpathana).
• TESCO (Berendina corporate partner for Minisath Sarana)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2022TESCO partnered with Berendina to implement the "Minisath Sarana" (Berendinavin Manithabimana Uthavi) Dry Rations Distribution Initiative, providing dry ration packs to economically vulnerable families in Nuwara Eliya plantation and rural communities.
• Kelani Valley Plantation PLC, Kotagala Plantation PLC, and Hatton Plantations PLCcoreOthers · 1 January 2022Estate companies hosting Berendina's Youth Career Guidance Program across 21 estates in the plantation sector, providing access to plantation-community youth for vocational training and counselling.
• Christian Blind Mission International (CBM)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Berendina and CBM launched the "Building Civil Society Partnerships Towards Inclusive Economic Growth" project in 2021, concluded on 30 January 2024 in Kandy. The project enhanced the involvement of vulnerable groups — particularly persons with disabilities — in economic and civil society activities in the Central Province, supporting over 6,500 vulnerable members across six divisional secretariat divisions (Kundasale, Medadumbara, Minipe, Panwila, Pathadumbara, Udadumbara) in Kandy district. CBM Country Representative Ms. Vanee Surendranathan co-led the closing ceremony with BDS General Manager Mr. Dayantha Fernando.
• Central Bank of Sri Lankaflagship / strategic-tierOthersBMIC is regulated by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka under the Microfinance Act No. 06 of 2016, making the Central Bank both Berendina's regulator and a key institutional partner. Deputy Governor Mr. C J P Siriwardana was a guest at BMIC's launch event.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Women's Development Federation: Sri Lankan grassroots federation supporting women's economic empowerment through savings groups and small credit. Comparable to Berendina on community-led, women-focused financial inclusion in rural districts.
• Sanasa Development Bank: Sri Lanka's largest cooperative-sector microfinance institution and licensed specialized bank, serving low-income communities with credit, savings, and non-financial services. Directly comparable to BMIC in product mix, target customers, and Central Bank oversight.
• BRAC Sri Lanka (now part of BRAC International): Sri Lankan operation of BRAC, providing microfinance, education, and livelihoods programs to low-income women. Closely comparable to Berendina on integrated micro-credit + non-financial services model targeting women micro-entrepreneurs.
• LOLC Finance PLC: One of Sri Lanka's largest non-bank financial institutions with significant microfinance and SME lending operations. Comparable to BMIC on Sri Lankan micro-credit scale, branch footprint, and women-focused lending segments.
• Sewalanka Foundation: Sri Lankan community-development foundation delivering livelihoods, housing, WASH, and disaster-relief programs in rural and conflict-affected areas. Comparable to BDS on grant-based district programming and community-mobilization approach.
• Sarvodaya: Sri Lanka's largest community-development NGO, operating across livelihoods, WASH, education, and disaster response. Directly comparable to BDS on grant-funded programs, district-level community mobilization, and target beneficiary segments.
• HNB Grameen Finance: Sri Lankan microfinance company providing micro-credit, savings, and agricultural lending to underserved rural segments. Closely comparable to BMIC on regulated microfinance product set, district-level distribution, and inclusion focus.

Broad incumbents

• Grameen Bank: Bangladesh's foundational microfinance institution, pioneering group-lending to unbanked women. Comparable to BMIC on group-based micro-credit model, women-majority client base, and non-financial services layer attached to lending.
• FINCA International: Global microfinance network operating across Africa, Eurasia, Latin America, and South Asia with group lending and savings products. Comparable to BMIC on village-banking methodology and serving unbanked low-income entrepreneurs.

Emerging players

• Pro Mujer: Latin American women-focused microfinance and health-services provider integrating credit, savings, and non-financial services for low-income women. Comparable to Berendina on integrated credit-plus-non-financial model and women-majority client focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/GroupBerendina
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/berendina-group-bds

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Berendina