Newsletter | Issue 4 | February 2025 Greetings from Grameen Foundation for Social Impact !We welcome you to explore our latest newsletter, where you'll find key highlights of action undertaken by Grameen teams in India under different initiatives, in February 2025. Do let us know your feedback (click here), including what you would like to hear more about. - With Best Wishes from GFSI |
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Agriculture and Livelihood Practices |
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Woman Entrepreneur Supported to Revive Her Coir Business
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As part of our Generating Rural Opportunities for Women Agri-Entrepreneurship (GROW) program, we aim to enable 5,000 women agri-entrepreneurs, thereby supporting one million smallholder farmers (SHFs). A standout success story is that of Ms. D. Jonshi , a determined agri-entrepreneur. She faced several financial and market access challenges, but after receiving training and mentorship under GROW, has successfully revived her coir product-making unit. Ms. Jonshi's story highlights the power of skill development, mentorship, and access to support. To know her story Click here Professionalizing Sourcing Function in FPOsOur MANDI-II project aims to strengthen market linkages for Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) in India. However, a key challenge remains in converting connections into profitable transactions due to a lack of skilled personnel in procurement, quality assurance, and storage management. To bridge this gap, a 10-day intensive training program was conducted for 30 FPO representatives (including two women) from six districts in eastern Uttar Pradesh. The training focused on enhancing technical, operational, and managerial skills, covering procurement, post-harvest processes, quality assurance, negotiation, and record-keeping. Facilitated by EcoKargha Consulting, the program combined theoretical learning with practical exposure, including expert lectures and warehouse visits. By equipping FPO representatives with essential skills, this initiative aims to improve operational efficiency, drive profitability, and enhance the resilience of smallholder farmers, particularly women. |
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Driving Climate-Resilient Smart Farming through Collaboration & Innovation
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With depleting natural resources and climate change impacting agriculture, adopting climate-friendly and sustainable farming practices is more crucial than ever. FPO are at the forefront of this transition—helping smallholders, access new technologies, improve incomes, and promote climate-resilient smart farming solutions. But are these technologies truly reaching smallholder farmers, especially women? And if not, how can we accelerate this change? The answer lies in dialogue, collaboration, and convergence. The MANDI II team at Grameen organized a workshop focused on Climate-Resilient Smart Farming Solutions on 10th Feb, 2025 at BIRD, Lucknow. The workshop brought together experts from leading government agencies, research institutions, and technical service providers from various public and private sector institutions. The deliberations focused on:
Through such platforms, we aim to enable the FPOs and smallholder farmers, especially women, with climate-friendly, high-yielding, and affordable (CHA) solutions by bridging technology, policy, and grassroots implementation. Know more |
Agriculture and Livelihood Practices
Sector Highlights
Union Budget 2025-26:
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Advancing Women’s Entrepreneurship |
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Women as Agents of Change and Economic Empowerment (W-ACE)
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Under the W-ACE program, we are building the entrepreneurial capacity of 650 Grameen Mittras—female agents who provide marginalized households with doorstep access to a variety of financial products and services via a digital platform. Through this initiative, we aim for these Mittras to reach over 150,000 end clients, offering financial education, digital financial literacy, and a range of financial and digital payment services. Motivating, Guiding and Enabling Grameen Mitras through Field Visits to Strengthen Leadership and Drive GrowthSurekha Pundlik Bisen, from Babai village in Gondia District, has made a remarkable change in her life with the help of the Grameen Foundation. Before joining the program, she was a farmer with limited exposure to digital tools and mobile banking. Her turning point came when a Grameen Foundation representative visited her village and introduced her to the Grameen Mitra program. Seeing the potential, Surekha took on the role, helping fellow villagers with banking transactions and teaching them about financial services. Over time, her confidence grew, and she expanded her support to nearby communities. Through her hard work, Surekha not only improved her own financial situation but also empowered others, especially women and older people, by introducing them to digital banking tools. Today, she plays an important role in bridging the digital gap and making banking accessible to her rural community. Surekha’s story shows how with the right support and determination, one person can make a big difference in their community. |
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Advancing Women’s Entrepreneurship
Sector Highlights
Funding for Women-Led Startups:
Report: India has emerged as the second-largest ecosystem for women-led startups in terms of all-time funding in the tech space, with over $26.4 billion raised collectively. In 2024, India ranked third globally for funding raised by women co-led startups. |
Innovations In Digital Finance |
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Building Gender-Inclusive Financial Inclusion in BCNM Industry
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We are giving final touches to a Gender-Inclusive Vision Charter for the BCNM industry , aimed at promoting financial inclusion that supports gender equality. The charter is focused on enabling women as Business Correspondents (BCs) and as customers, to succeed by ensuring their access to required resources, services and opportunities. The Charter sets out a clear framework for leadership, policy implementation, and creating lasting impact. The key priorities are equity, accessibility, and long-term economic resilience. The Charter will be unveiled soon at the CXO Meet 2025. Know moreDiversifying the portfolio of Business CorrespondentsIn today’s rapidly evolving business landscape, it is crucial for Business Correspondents (BCs) to diversify their service offerings to ensure long-term sustainability and growth. While many are traditionally focused on CICO (Cash In Cash Out) products, the need to expand into non-CICO services has long been. Non-CICO products provide additional revenue streams and greater resilience to market fluctuations. The BCs are already providing non-CICO services, but the shift towards incorporating more such products and services allows them to grow their businesses while ensuring sustainable earnings. One of the options is to offer services through Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) where micro-entrepreneurs can tap into the growing e-commerce sector, create new business avenues, and expand their service offerings to meet the demands of an increasingly digital world. Testing the viability of such a solution, Grameen facilitated 298 micro-entrepreneurs onboarding onto the ONDC network, bringing the total number of such registrations to 558 till the end of February, 2025. These entrepreneurs are now able to offer a wider range of services beyond the traditional CICO product, increasing their earning potential and expanding their business opportunities. With partner BC Network Managers, we will be monitoring the change in revenue streams due to ONDC onboarding and share our findings as part of our Testing innovations in the BC Channel initiative. Under the Innovations initiative, we organized a workshop on Paving the Way for Digital Commerce: Opportunities of Success in e-Commerce through Business Correspondents for Micro-entrepreneurs and Artisans, in Patna on 25th February. A total of 72 BCs from CDoT, Patna, participated in the event. The workshop focused on upskilling BC agents in key e-Commerce areas such as product photography, packaging, cataloging, and onboarding. These sessions aimed to equip BCs with the knowledge and tools needed to enhance product visibility and seamlessly integrate local businesses into the digital marketplace. By effectively showcasing products online, micro-entrepreneurs and artisans can boost their sales and earnings, creating greater economic opportunities for their communities. The workshop also provided BCs with the necessary tools to integrate non-CICO products into their offerings, allowing them to increase their earnings, services and sustainability while helping micro-entrepreneurs and artisans gain better access to the digital marketplace. Key Sessions Included:
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Innovations in Digital Finance
Sector Highlights
Bharat Fintech Summit 2025:
The third edition of the Bharat Fintech Summit was held on February 5th and 6th, 2025. It focused on topics like unsecured credit, fraud prevention, real-time payments, and digital transformation. The summit included discussions on AI in BFSI, data protection, trade finance, and the future of digital public infrastructure. It also highlighted the potential of Unified Payments Interface (UPI) and Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC). Know more |
Special Program: Lakshyavati |
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Supporting Students with Counseling and Exam Guidance for Success
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Lakshyavati is dedicated to improving the educational outcomes of underprivileged girls (grades 7-12) in underserved districts of Maharashtra. By providing personalized counseling and exam guidance, we are helping to reduce school dropout rates and boost confidence in students from Bhandara and Nagpur. Our Grameen Block Coordinators visited 90 girls, offering emotional support, study tips, and stress-relief strategies to ensure they’re ready for their board exams and empowered to face challenges. Shraddha is Breaking Barriers and Working on Fulfilling her DreamsIn a small fishing village where opportunities for girls are rare, Shraddha Nanhe’s determination sets her apart. Since enrolling in Nishavidyalay in 2019, Shraddha’s academic journey has been supported by a ₹750/month scholarship through Lakshyavati, helping her pursue a Bachelor of Arts degree. But her goals go beyond education—she dreams of becoming a police officer to fight for justice for women, inspired by her mother’s painful experiences with domestic violence. Despite her family’s financial struggles, Shraddha remains focused. She saves ₹500 every month to continue her education, a testament to her discipline and vision. “I want Shraddha to have choices I never had,” says her mother, Sulochana, whose resilience through hardship has driven Shraddha to break the cycle of violence and support other girls facing similar challenges. Shraddha’s journey is proof that when given the chance, education can be a powerful tool for change, not just for individuals, but for entire communities. Through her determination, Shraddha is not only shaping her own future but is also paving the way for others to dream big. For more details, click here |
Grameen Foundation India News
Grameen Foundation India (GFI) is a for-profit organization that provides advisory services to organizations focused on improving the lives of underserved communities. We specialize in research, data collection, monitoring, and the application of easy-to-understand beneficiary-level data to enhance the impact of our partners. By collaborating with government entities, international institutions, and civil society organizations, including NGOs, philanthropic foundations, and corporations, we help drive sustainable, positive change.
Health & NutritionUnder this program, Health & Nutrition, We use digital tools, community meetings, and health camps to raise awareness and improve health outcomes. Our focus includes routine immunization for children under five, access to nutritious food and healthy lifestyles for women, and increasing awareness among adolescent girls and women about the HPV vaccine to protect against cervical cancer. Improving Routine Immunization and HPV Vaccine AwarenessOut of the target population, 3,929 individuals received routine immunizations, reaching 97% coverage. Alongside this, HPV vaccine awareness efforts connected with 1,706 people, covering 84% of the intended audience. Building Community Support for VaccinationTo support vaccinationefforts, 11 Self-Help Group (SHG) meetings and 7 community meetings were held. These gatherings provided women with important health information and included discussions with health authorities to enhance local vaccination programs. HPV Awareness at Dharmavati Intermediate CollegeAt Dharmavati Intermediate College, 56 schoolgirls participated in a session focused on HPV vaccination and cervical cancer prevention. The interactive format, which included real-life stories and visual aids, helped clarify doubts and build trust in the vaccine. For more details, click here |
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AgriPathUnder the AgriPath program, the goal is to scale sustainable agriculture by identifying, evaluating, and promoting effective pathways for digitally supported agricultural advisory services. These services enable both female and male smallholders to make informed decisions, enhancing their agricultural productivity, income, and climate resilience in a sustainable manner.
Farmers Explore Sustainable Land Management Practices at Demonstration PlotsA total of 389 farmers from the Mirzapur and Varanasi districts participated in visits to demonstration plots focused on Sustainable Land Management Practices (SLMP), gaining firsthand experience with techniques such as crop rotation, agroforestry, water conservation, and soil fertility management. Valuable insights, reflected in the FarmBetter app with native contextualization, were provided. The initiative not only introduced improved land and crop practices but also fostered a shift toward long-term sustainability, emphasizing productivity while preserving the land for future generations. Positive feedback from participants suggests a growing interest in adopting these methods. Additionally, the project has strengthened networks among farmers and experts, ensuring ongoing support. This effort aims to address environmental challenges such as soil erosion and water scarcity, enabling farmers to implement SLMP for a more sustainable and productive future. Key Informant Interviews Shaping Global AgriPath Scaling FrameworkKey informant interviews were carried out with a diverse range of stakeholders in India’s Agri-digital ecosystem to inform the development of the AgriPath global scaling framework. These interviews gathered valuable perspectives from key players, including donors, digital advisory service providers, research organizations, extension agents, and officials from the Ministry of Agriculture. The collected insights are critical in shaping a scalable and sustainable framework for expanding digital agriculture solutions globally, ensuring they are tailored to the unique needs of different regions. Enhancing Digital Skills of Extension Agents for Agricultural AdvancementA comprehensive four-day workshop on digital dexterity was held for extension agents from Varanasi and Mirzapur districts from February 18th to 21st, 2025. The workshop aimed to enhance the digital skills of these agents, empowering them to effectively utilize digital tools and technologies in agricultural extension services. With full participation, all 80 invited extension agents attended, gaining hands-on experience and knowledge to improve their efficiency in supporting farmers and promoting sustainable farming practices. The workshop played a crucial role in strengthening the digital capabilities of the agricultural workforce, preparing them for the evolving demands of modern farming. Strengthening Scaling Strategies at Scaling Sprint in BangkokDr. Roopa H. Suresh from GFI participated in a Scaling Sprint organized by GIZ in Bangkok, Thailand from 3rd - 7th March, 2025. This immersive, hands-on event was designed to refine scaling visions, prototype innovations, and develop tailored scaling strategies. As part of the Sprint, the participant organisations focused on refining its approach to scaling sustainable agri-tech innovations and identifying effective strategies for broader impact. The workshop experience will be helpful for Grameen in refining its scaling model, with a particular emphasis on optimizing its digital solutions within agricultural ecosystems, ultimately impacting the lives of farmers positively. For more details, click here |
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SpotlightJalodari Mahila FPO Shines Bright, Driving Sales & Success at MahaKumbh Mela 2025 with MANDI-IIJalodari Mahila FPO, Tikrikala, Prayagraj successfully participated in the MahaKumbh Mela, Prayagraj, from January 13th to February 26th, 2025. During this period, the FPO set up a rented shop and sold a variety of products, including:
These products were handmade by the women SHG members at the FPO. The FPO achieved remarkable sales, digitally and in cash. The MANDI team provided support in creating a barcode for the FPO's account to promote digital payments and also assisted in designing banners and setting up stalls to promote the FPO's business.
Warm regards, |
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