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Mala Hettige - top Economist at ADB

by Chandani Jayatilleke

As a student of Visakha Vidyalaya, Colombo Mala Hettige did not have a definite plan about her future profession. But, today she has made a top career as an Economist at the Asian Development Bank (ADB) one of the leading financial institutions in the world.

Mala with her husband Tilak

A keen and enthusiastic student, who followed the physical science stream for Advanced Level examination, Hettige never dreamt of becoming an Economist, and working for a financial institution such as the ADB.

"I liked studying Statistics. When I was selected to the University I explored the possibility to pursue my higher studies with Statistics as a subject and found that the Jaffna and Peradeniya Universities offered such degree courses. Naturally, I opted to go to the Peradeniya University," Hettige told the Meeting Point when I met her in Manila, Philippines recently.

In order to pursue studies in statistics, I had to learn economics as well.

Since then I began to be more interested in the subject and continued studying economics, she said. Professional career

Pending results Hettige joined the Marga Institute where she worked till the University results were out. After graduation she joined the Bank of Ceylon where she met her husband Tilak, a chemical engineer by profession. Her stay there was only for a year and then she joined the Economic Research Department of the Central Bank.

It was at the Central Bank, where she got an opportunity to further her studies. "We had already got married then and wanted to go overseas for higher studies. The Central Bank was prepared to financially support me. But, my husband had to find his own funds, therefore he went to Oman to earn some money for his studies."

However, in that particular year, when I was to enter the Boston University, the Central Bank said I had to wait till the following year for funding. The University authorities who understood my situation offered me a full scholarship for the first year until I got my Central Bank funds to continue the second year. But still Tilak had to work full time while studying for his masters degree," she said.

Hettige obtained a Masters degree in Arts in Political Economics. When I was doing my masters I had also finished courses which were necessary for PhD studies. And I wanted to purse my studies to obtain a PhD, but I had no funds. Tilak encouraged me to take up studies.

This time again the Boston University gave me a teaching fellowship to continue my PhD studies. They encouraged me to study, she said.

Hettige found it very difficult to keep pace with her studies with a teaching fellowship and a newly born baby and considered giving up studies several times. But, it was her husband who encouraged her to complete her PhD during that troublesome period. "Tilak had to sacrifice his studies and start work as early as 5 am so that he could come home early and I could go to teach. While I was away he took care of the baby."

Hettige had plans to rejoin the Central Bank after her doctorate. "I did my comprehensive examinations in special areas such as macro economics, economatrix and money and finance. However, when we finished studies and wanted to come back to Sri Lanka, there were problems in the country and our elders wanted us to stay back."

"We started looking for jobs. Earlier I had an opportunity to join the World Bank but I couldn't do so because I was pregnant then." However, the young family decided to move into Washington to look for greener pastures. Hettige tried her luck with a World Bank job interview and was chosen for a posting as a consultant.

"Tilak also got a good job. By that time he also finished his masters degree. During this time he developed a passion for photography and followed a diploma in photography. We had our second daughter and stayed in Washington till 1997. I worked for the Private sector Department, Economic Research Dept and on Environmental pollution projects. During this period, I travelled widely in Africa and Latin America. I also worked with some projects in India, the Philippines, but never got a chance to work with Sri Lanka.

In 1997, we decided to come to Asia for two main reasons: to give our children an Asian living experience and to be closer home so that we could visit our parents often."

Hettige found a job opportunity at the ADB headquarters in Manila. "I applied for a job at the ADB through the internet. They interviewed me in Washington and then in the Philippines. However, I didn't want to come here without knowing Tilak's future. Tilak had already made sacrifices for me. So I asked him to come to Manila and explore possibilities himself. He got a few good opportunities, but later we realised that travelling was time consuming. He had to commute and and spend much time outside home. As a family we wanted to be together so gradually he gave up a full-time profession in consultancy work and photography. Currently he works with many international organisations providing photographs."

"We like our stay in Manila and the children love it too. We go to Sri Lanka every year to see our kith and kin.

Duties and responsibilities

As a senior evaluation specialist in the evaluation department of the ADB, Hettige is in charge of various evaluation projects. "Since I joined I started environmental evaluation on economic projects such as hydro power and thermal power. These are theme projects and not for any particular country. Recently I did a project on impact on rural roads on poverty reduction. ADB does a lot of infrastructure development projects. This study was to evaluate if infrastructure projects help reduce poverty.

Balance in work and home

As a professional, the biggest achievement she has made so far is balancing her work and home. "There are times that you cannot give 100 percent for both. Very often I don't stay late at work.

I take work home and do it while attending to the household chores. I am physically at home and that alone makes my family happy. So I have no backlogs at work. I manage to finish everything on a daily basis." Women the world over face such problems, because women are still known as the main household of the family. I may not be doing everything a normal mother is supposed to do. But whenever my family needs me I will be there for them

Inspiration

I wouldn't have come this far in my studies and profession if not for my husband, he gave me all the courage, freedom and support to achieve this goal.

The biggest advantage in my life is that I can compartment my life, while I can concentrate on one thing at one time - I have the ability to switch on and switch off when and if necessary. My parents gave much encouragement for studies, but they never put unnecessary pressure on me. My father encouraged me to do ICMA (Now CIMA) during my vacation in the university , just to gain a qualification and to get exposure to financial world, since I was already studying economics. It has already been very helpful throughout my career.

Advice to women professionals

I think women should not think that they should be treated special at work. Very often you may find you are the only woman in the room, you have to take that challenge. You have to learn to present yourself, research your fact and argue justifiably and then everybody will listen. You need to have your back ground correct. There was a time that I was shy to talk in front of a gathering, I just said what I wanted to say quickly or I waited till others opined thinking that somebody else would raise the matter. This is not correct. Make yourself heard. It is very important to express opinions as professional women.

Leisure

I love to spend time with children. I read the books that they are reading, I also like to travel and we go to many different places to spend the day. As a professional photographer my husband travels to many places and later he takes us too.

Keen to return

We would certainly like to come back to Sri Lanka. May be if there's an opportunity, we may consider it.

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