Greetings from Grameen Foundation for Social Impact !

India’s women farmers, the majority of the agricultural workforce, traditionally face limited recognition and systemic barriers to growth. The MANDI II project is creating resilient agricultural ecosystems by placing them at the center.

Grameen (Grameen Foundation USA and Grameen Foundation for Social Impact), with the support of Walmart Foundation, strengthened FPOs across Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal, driving change from the grassroots up.

A key component is gender-intentional design. As Ms. Bharati Joshi, CEO of GFI & GFSI, notes: "To that effect, we have an approach we call GFIT, which means that we lead with gender, we transform through finance, innovative partnerships and technology..."

The event reaffirmed a collective commitment to advancing scale, sustainability, and shared prosperity across India’s agri landscape.

This focus has successfully integrated women as shareholders and leaders of FPOs reaching to 45 % women presentation in FPOs. Combined with vital financial linkages (₹11 crore+ across 17 FPOs) and access to new tools, technologies and practices, MANDI II is moving women farmers to the forefront.

Nishant Gupta, Social & Environmental impact advisor from Walmart adds to this, highlighting the mission: "Perhaps one of the biggest successes has been the integration of SHG members into the FPOs."

Since 2019, the GFSI’s Mariam-Lakshyavati Programmehas been supporting communities across rural Maharashtra, helping over 200 girls like Trisha Choudhari see that education is about more than textbooks instead it’s also about guidance, ambition, and the confidence to chase one’s dreams.

Trisha’s story is a striking example of this. Growing up in Nagpur, she faced challenges that could have easily held her back. Her mother’s recurring illness and the family’s limited income often made survival the priority. Attending a government school in a slum area with limited resources, Trisha’s determination and talent stood out. Despite financial difficulties, she consistently topped her classes, showing that dedication can overcome obstacles.

In 2023, Trisha received support through GFSI’s Mariam-Lakshyavati initiative. The bursary covered her tuition, enabled her to participate in competitions, and gave her the freedom to pursue her passions without adding financial strain on her family. This support opened doors that were previously beyond reach and gave her the confidence to aim higher.

Today, as she prepares for her 12th-grade exams, Trisha continues to lead her college class academically while excelling in classical singing and dance. She has won second place in multiple national level singing competitions and captivated audiences with her performances.

Trisha dreams of becoming a computer engineer, hoping to provide her parents with the life they deserve, while continuing to nurture her love for music as a possible career path. Her father, who works tirelessly to support the family, remains her biggest inspiration, driving her determination to succeed.

Through GFSI’s Mariam-Lakshyavati initiative, Trisha has been able to fully explore her potential and pursue her ambitions. She expresses heartfelt gratitude to everyone who has believed in her dreams and cheered her on.

The Business Correspondent (BC) model has traditionally defined sustainability through three rigid metrics: Profitability, Scalability, and Compliance. However, as the ecosystem matures, a recent Community of Practice panel of women leaders - including CEOs, founders, and business heads, argued that true sustainability requires a broader strategic framework that integrates social equity and community resilience.

The discussion highlighted that women leaders often interpret sustainability through qualitative dimensions, specifically trust, community relationships, and the long-term stability of frontline workers. Panelists emphasized that effective BC models must address the specific gendered realities of last-mile delivery, including mobility restrictions and safety concerns. The consensus was that "gender-transformative" change is required in policy and infrastructure to ensure the long-term viability of the network, rather than a sole focus on transaction volumes and agent productivity.

The rich discussion, moderated by Dr. Suparna Dutta (Manager, Knowledge Management & Program Communication, GFSI), featured insights from a distinguished panel of leaders:

• Ms. Sudha Shukla – Joint Mission Director UPSRLM
• Ms. Jayatri Dasgupta – CMO, PayNearby
• Ms. Amrita Monga Kapoor – CEO, Swadhaar FinAccess
• Ms. Rashmi Singh – Gender Expert, GFSI

In Bondala village, Mul Block, Chandrapur district, a simple diagnostic device is reshaping how rural communities access healthcare.

As part of the Testing Innovations in the Business Correspondent (BC) Channel initiative, Grameen Foundation for Social Impact (GFSI) is redefining what a BC can do. We are moving beyond standard cash-in/cash-out (CICO) transactions by introducing high-impact non-CICO products. This includes the Scanbo Smart Health device, which enables agents to offer essential health check-ups alongside banking.

Ratnamala Porte, a local BC who also serves as a Community Resource Person (CRP), has successfully adopted this device. Recently, our team joined her to organize a session for 15 community members to demonstrate this new capability.

Bondala lies nearly 10 km from the nearest Primary Health Centre, meaning villagers often lost wages and waited 2–3 days just to get basic test results. To address this gap, the team demonstrated how Ratnamala can now instantly test blood glucose, blood pressure, and oxygen levels, making early diagnosis possible right within the village.

For Ratnamala, this is more than a new service. It is an extension of trust. Associated with GFSI since April 2022, she has long provided financial services. Her credibility allowed her to seamlessly expand into healthcare, offering villagers a convenient, affordable alternative to long hospital visits.

The impact was immediate, with all 15 participants getting tested on the same day. For Ratnamala, integrating health diagnostics proves the value of non-financial products in creating diversified, sustainable livelihoods. For the villagers, it means access to timely care without leaving their homes.

In Ladbori village of Chandrapur, lived Neeta Dange, a woman with big dreams stitched quietly into every piece of cloth she tailored. Her small tailoring income helped her care for her family of four, but her heart always whispered, “There’s more you can do.”

That “more” arrived when the local Gram Panchayat operator introduced her to the GFSI. Curious and hopeful, Neeta learned about the role of a Business Correspondent and saw an opportunity she had long been waiting for. In 2024, she bravely stepped into a new chapter of life.

As she began serving her community, Neeta’s confidence blossomed. She started selling essential products like sanitary napkins and agarbatti, earning more, believing more, becoming more.

But the real transformation began when she was introduced to the Scanbo Smart Health Device under GFSI's “Testing Innovations in the BC Channel” program. With this non-CICO health screening tool in hand, Neeta started going door-to-door, helping her neighbors understand their health better because she believes that when women rise, entire communities rise with them.

Her efforts tell a powerful story:

• 85 screening tests
• 30 unique patient registrations
• She earned good income through this

In November, Neeta became the Top Performer, a recognition that did more than reward her hard work, it ignited a spark of inspiration across her village.

From a talented tailor to a confident changemaker, Neeta proves that when women are given the right opportunity, they don’t just transform their own lives, instead they also create pathways for many others to follow.

Neeta didn’t just find growth- She found her voice, power and now her entire village can see it shine.

AgriPath

Under 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.

International Conference Representation and Research Recognition:

In November 2025, Ms. Sarita Mishra, a dedicated Ph.D. scholar associated with the AgriPath in India program, made a notable mark at the Environment and Social Development Association (ESDA) International Conference in Bangkok (8–12 November). She presented her groundbreaking research paper, “A Phygital Approach to Climate-Smart and Sustainable Agriculture: Evidence from an RCT in Eastern Uttar Pradesh,” which captivated the audience with its novel insights. Drawing on robust evidence from the AgriPath Randomized Controlled Trial, her study explored the integration of physical extension systems with digital advisory tools to enhance climate-smart and sustainable farming practices among smallholder farmers, offering practical solutions for the future of agriculture.

The presentation received strong engagement from conference participants, including researchers, development practitioners, and policymakers, and contributed to knowledge exchange on scalable and evidence-based approaches for agricultural transformation in low-resource settings. In recognition of the originality, methodological rigor, and practical relevance of her research, the scholar was conferred the Young Researcher Award, acknowledging her contribution to advancing research and innovation in the areas of sustainable agriculture and climate resilience.

Capacity Building of Champion Extension Agents for Scaling the Hybrid Advisory Model

As part of the project’s scaling and institutionalization strategy, a comprehensive training programme for Champion Extension Agents was successfully implemented. The training aimed to strengthen agents’ technical capacities and prepare them to effectively support the scale-up of the AgriPath Hybrid Advisory Model across project geographies.

The programme covered both conceptual and practical aspects of the hybrid model, with a strong emphasis on the integration of physical extension efforts with digital tools. Extension Agents were provided hands-on training on the use of the Chatbot and the Farmbetter for Extension Agents application, equipping them to deliver timely, customized, and context-specific advisories to farmers. The sessions also focused on improving agents’ confidence in using digital platforms for farmer engagement, data capture, and feedback loops, thereby enhancing the overall efficiency, reach, and impact of extension service delivery.