Newsletter | Issue 2 | December 2024 Greetings from Grameen Foundation for Social Impact !We are thrilled to share the latest updates and progress as we continue working toward our mission enabling the poor, especially women to create a world without poverty & hunger. This newsletter highlights our impactful initiatives, community engagement, and notable achievements from December, 2024. - Warm Greetings from GFSI |
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INNOVATIONS IN DIGITAL FINANCE |
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Introducing Ved & Vidya, Our Mascots Finalised to Serve as a Guiding Light for a Gender Inclusive Future in the BC Network
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As part of the initiative on Scaling Agent Viability and Quality in India, key developments include expanding product offerings, improving liquidity management, and increasing women’s participation as financial service providers and clients in the underserved areas. As part of our journey to make the BC agent network more inclusive and representative, we designed six unique mascot concepts. Each design reflects diversity in looks, expressions, clothing, and age groups. To ensure the final avatars resonated with everyone, we conducted a polling process, inviting feedback to help us choose the best representatives. We are excited to announce the final selections: Ved and Vidya. Ved represents wisdom, reliability, and trust, qualities that embody the support BC agents provide to their communities. Vidya symbolizes learning, enablement, and progress, showcasing the dynamic and inclusive spirit of the network. Ved and Vidya are a reflection of our shared vision for a progressive and inclusive BC agent network. |
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Fostering Insightful Discussions in Community of Practice and Enabling BC Agents through Targeted Training to Tackle Industry Challenges
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The Innovations in the BC Channel initiative is dedicated to fostering impactful innovations within the Business Correspondent (BC) ecosystem, with the primary goal of enhancing financial inclusion, especially in underserved areas. Community of Practice (COP) is a collaborative network of individuals with shared interests or expertise, focused on voluntary participation and collective learning. It is a free online platform where key stakeholders like BC agents, academicians, regulators etc. Can convene to discuss challenges faced by them and to jointly explore. In December 2024 the CoP convened for 3 insightful discussions on the Echo India platform: ). - Innovations in the BC Industry (Dec 9) with industry leaders Mr. Punit Gajera and Mr. Mahesh Jain.
GFSI Hosts a Panel Discussion on "Impact of a Decade of JAM on Gender: Innovations and Way Forward"Our esteemed panelist namely Mr. Pawan Bakshi (BMGF), Akhand Tiwari (MicroSave), Ms. Kalpana Ajayan (Women’s World Banking), Mr. Arindam Dasgupta (GFSI), and Mr. Kalyanaraman A (Varashakti Housing Finance), discussed how the JAM trinity of Jan Dhan, Aadhar, and Mobile has successfully tackled key barriers of access, agency, and affordability, driving faster financial inclusion for women. However, they also shed light on the persistent digital divide between genders which limits usage. The panel stressed on the importance of going beyond mere access, focusing on enabling women with greater agency through technology, and using transaction data to create tailored financial products. This discussion was a key highlight of the Global Inclusive Finance 2024 Summit. Enabling BC Agents and Micro Entrepreneurs Through ECommerce Orientation Training to Expand Services and Increase their IncomeIn our recent orientation training at Bihar, we introduced the benefits of e-commerce platforms and how they can help micro-entrepreneurs grow their businesses. We also explained how BC agents can assist micro-entrepreneurs in joining these platforms, which will allow them to sell their products across India. By being part of e-commerce, they can reach more customers, leading to more sales and business growth. We encouraged micro-entrepreneur, especially women, to connect with BC agents to start selling online. The BC agents will also provide training on packaging, branding, product presentation etc, ensuring products are ready for the online market. Through this orientation training many women felt inspired and motivated to use their skills and become micro-entrepreneurs. They were excited to list their products on e-commerce platforms. They learned about new opportunities to grow their businesses, reach wider markets, and earn more money. This training helped them realise that they can dream bigger and build successful businesses through e-commerce.
For more details, click here |
Innovations in Digital Finance
Sector Highlights
Connected Banking Summit 2024 was held on December 16, this summit brought together industry leaders to discuss the rapid transformation within the BFSI sector amid increasing digital transaction volumes and evolving consumer expectations.These developments highlight India's commitment to advancing its digital finance ecosystem through innovation, regulatory support, and strategic partnerships.
Read more: |
Agriculture and Livelihood Practices |
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Expanding Women’s Agri-preneurial Initiatives
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In the Generating Rural Opportunities for Women Agri-entrepreneurship (GROW) program we are aiming to enable 5,000 women across four districts in Andhra Pradesh to become agri-entrepreneurs, improving livelihoods for over 1 million smallholder farmers. On December 10, 2024, we joined hands with National Institute for Research on Commercial Agriculture (NICRA) to support 5,000 women agri-entrepreneurs (AEs) in East and West Godavari districts, India, through the GROW program. The initiative will provide skill development, practical training, and exposure in areas like crop management, post-harvest technologies, and value-added products. Dr. M. Seshu Madhav from NICRA emphasized the importance of training and supporting AEs in marketing and machinery sourcing. Mrs. Shatarupa Kashyap from GFSI highlighted the potential for this model to boost rural women's income and be replicated in other regions. |
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Enhancing Market Access eNabled by Digital Innovation (MANDI)-II through FPO Training and Tech for a Sustainable Future.
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Through this program we are enabling Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) to improve market access, boost financial inclusion, and advance gender equality. In December, we conducted several key initiatives aimed at enhancing agricultural practices and market opportunities for farmers:
For more details, click here |
Training Experience shared by FPOs
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Agriculture and Livelihood Practices
Sector Highlights
World Bank Project to Modernize Agriculture in Uttar Pradesh: On December 12, 2024, the World Bank approved a $325.10 million project aimed at enhancing agricultural productivity and farmers' incomes in Uttar Pradesh. The initiative focuses on adopting digital technologies, climate-resilient practices, and strengthening market linkages. It is expected to benefit one million farmers by improving access to finance and promoting sustainable agricultural practices, such as low-methane rice varieties and optimized fertilizer use. |
Growth Projections for Agriculture: Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced that India's agriculture and allied sectors are projected to grow by 3.5-4% in 2024-25, a significant increase from the previous year's growth of 1.4%. This optimism is attributed to various rural welfare initiatives implemented recently, including efforts to ensure fair prices for farmers and improve rural infrastructure.
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Development of Stress-Tolerant Crop Varieties: In 2024, the Indian Council of Agricultural Research developed a total of 524 new varieties and hybrids of field crops, alongside 167 horticultural crop varieties. This development is part of ongoing efforts to improve crop resilience against climate stressors. |
Advancing Women’s Entrepreneurship |
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Grameen Mittras: Paving the Path to Financial Literacy for People in Need
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Under the Women as Agents of Change and Economic Empowerment (W-ACE) program, more than 400 female agents (or Grameen Mittras - GMs) are enabling marginalized households by providing digital financial services and financial literacy. In December 2024, the GMs recorded a total of 30,419 transactions, generating transactional value of ₹1.51 crores and income for 77 Grameen Mittras.
For more details, click here |
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Advancing Women’s Entrepreneurship
Sector Highlights
Rise of Women Directors in Startups (December 26, 2024): According to government data, over 73,000 startups now have at least one woman director. This reflects a significant leap in inclusivity and the increasing role of women in India's entrepreneurial ecosystem. Read more: |
Special Program |
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Lakshyavati Program is Enabling Girls to Complete their Education
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We have successfully onboarded 200 girls under this program aimed at reducing school dropout rates and enhancing educational attainment among underprivileged girls in Maharashtra. On December 14, 2024, we held a workshop focusing on children’s rights, safety, and educational opportunities. The event featured expert speakers and encouraged the girls to showcase their talents through speeches, dances, and performances. We wish them the best as they prepare to excel in their board exams!
For more details, click here |
Grameen Foundation India News
Health & Nutrition
In the Health & Nutrition sector, we aim to enhance the physical and mental well-being of women, children, and adolescent girls. Our approach begins with understanding community needs through surveys and line listings. We train frontline workers in effective communication to disseminate health messages and conduct community meetings to establish actionable goals.
Grameen Foundation India, in collaboration with CHC Handia and PHCs in Prayagraj District, Uttar Pradesh, successfully organized a series of health initiatives to enhance access to quality healthcare for underserved communities. These efforts focused on health camps, community engagement, stakeholder collaboration, routine immunization, and HPV awareness.
Between November and December 2024, five health camps were conducted across one Community Health Center (CHC) and four Primary Health Centers (PHCs) in Handia Block, Prayagraj. These camps collectively served 800 participants, offering critical health services and identifying cases for advanced care. A total of 28 cases were referred to the District Hospital for specialized treatment.
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Spreading Awareness and Building Trust through Community Engagement Strengthening Partnerships Ensuring Routine Immunization (RI) Impact Metrics
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AgriPath
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In the AgriPath program we aim to enhance digital advisory services (DAS) for smallholder farmers, focusing on inclusivity for men, women, and youth. It combines technological and social innovations to facilitate behavior changes that improve productivity, income, and climate resilience among farmers. In December 2024, we conducted a Capacity Building Workshop on Gender for 79 (33 of them female) extension agents from Varanasi and Mirzapur districts. The workshop enhanced participants’ understanding of gender and the role of socialization in shaping male and female identities, along with the associated opportunities and challenges. It clarified the concepts of equity and equality, raising awareness about rights and opportunities among attendees. By fostering a sense of enablement, participants were encouraged to advocate for equal participation in decision-making, equitable ownership and control over resources, and fair distribution of labor. Ultimately, this workshop prepared participants to enhance the delivery of agri-advisory services effectively and in a gender equitable manner.
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SpotlightHealth & NutritionOn 4th December, 2024, an engaging and informative awareness session about the HPV vaccine was held at Dharmavati Inter College in Handia, Prayagraj, with 40 students actively participating. The session was specifically aimed at educating and spreading awareness among adolescent girls about the human papillomavirus (HPV), its potential risks, and how the vaccine can prevent related diseases like cervical cancer. Experts explained how the vaccine works, its safety, and its benefits in protecting against various HPV-related cancers. Students were encouraged to ask questions and share any concerns they had about the vaccine. The session helped them understand how getting vaccinated can play an important role in protecting their long-term health. As we celebrate these achievements, we look forward to creating even greater impact in the year ahead.
Warm regards, |
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