by Suman Gupta
- Project Saksham is a financial literacy initiative aimed to provide women and girls from marginalised section of society, with a foundational understanding of finance so that they can make informed financial decisions.
- Saksham 2024 intends to organise 800+ financial literacy workshops to train 20,000 women.
- The curriculum of the financial literacy workshop will cover financial topics like budgeting, savings, credit worthiness, investment planning, among others.
Mumbai, 06 March 2024: Home Credit India (HCIN), a local arm of the leading global consumer finance provider, in collaboration with SEWA Bharat, a non-profit organisation, has launched the next edition of its Financial Literacy programme “Saksham 2024”, under which it will educate 20,000 marginalised women and girls as beneficiaries.
The core objective of the Saksham financial literacy initiative is to provide marginalised women and girls with a foundational understanding of finance so that they may be empowered and equipped to make wise financial decisions. The programme will also enable them to learn about digital payment options and the risks and rewards associated with it.
This year, the aim of Saksham 2024 is to educate 20,000 women (including female students, homemakers, maids, and daily wage earners) through 800+ financial literacy workshops that will be conducted primarily in North (Delhi-NCR, Uttarakhand, Punjab & Rajasthan) and East India (Bihar). The financial literacy programme offered by Saksham will cover subjects like budgeting, savings, credit worthiness, investment planning, among others.
Speaking on initiative, Ashish Tiwari, Chief Marketing Officer, Home Credit India, said, “At Home Credit India, we believe in financial empowerment as the fundamental to societal progress. Saksham, demonstrates our commitment to equipping marginalised women and girls with essential financial skills, enabling them to make informed decisions and navigate the financial landscape with confidence. Strengthening our commitment, we are excited to launch the next edition of our financial literacy initiative – Saksham 2024 in collaboration with SEWA Bharat. Our collaboration is a step towards fostering financial inclusion and accessibility for all.“
Speaking on the project implementation, Ankita Upreti Sibal, Project Head & Vice President, SEWA Bharat, said, “In low-income and marginalised communities, women face significant barriers in accessing financial services and managing assets effectively. Through initiatives like Home Credit India’s Saksham, our mission is to empower women with the necessary knowledge and skills to navigate financial systems confidently. We firmly believe that our financial literacy workshops will serve as a cornerstone in enabling women to make informed decisions, cultivate savings habits, and explore investment opportunities. By doing so, we aim to foster a future where every woman, regardless of her background, can build a secure financial future, breaking barriers and achieving true economic empowerment.”
Financial Literacy is one of the primary ESG pillars for Home Credit India; and as a responsible consumer lender, the brand has been trying to encourage a responsible borrowing culture in the wider society by fostering financial and digital literacy through its various CSR initiatives. The first edition of Saksham was conducted from July 2022 till March 2023 in partnership with Indian Development Foundation (IDF) to impart financial literacy to marginalised women and girls. Home Credit India has also engaged with over 3 million people through its in-house ‘Paise Ki Paathshala’ microsite, blogs and social media campaigns.
About Home Credit India:Home Credit India Finance Pvt. Ltd. is a local arm of the international consumer finance provider Home Credit International with operations spanning Europe and Asia. The company is committed to drive credit penetration and financial inclusion in India by offering wide financial solutions that are simple, transparent, and accessible to all. Home Credit India has an employee base of ~5000 and has been consistently expanding operations since its entry in 2012, with its operations spread over 625 cities across India. The company has a strong network of around 53,000 points-of-sale (PoS) and is growing with a customer base of more than 16 million customers, driven by Pan-India expansion across major markets, a range of diversified and innovative products backed by superior customer experience.
About SEWA Bharat:SEWA Bharat is a federation of women-led institutions providing economic and social support to women in the informal economy. SEWA Bharat is part of the national SEWA movement and was established in 1984. SEWA Bharat emerged out of the need to address the SEWA movement’s challenges with geographical expansion and coordination. SEWA Bharat is a family of SEWA organisations to further informal women workers’ rights, livelihoods, financial independence, education, health, and social security.
