Programme Details
Women’s participation is central to India’s growth, yet barriers in literacy, mobility, finance, and decision-making continue to limit their potential—especially in Uttar Pradesh. Kiran places women’s empowerment at the heart of its CSR strategy, focusing on collective strength, financial inclusion, and entrepreneurship.
Our Interventions
- Strengthening and formalizing Self-Help Groups (SHGs)
- Improving access to finance through inter-loaning and linkage with banks
- Providing business planning support, handholding, and sector-specific training
- Enabling transitions from savings-based collectives to entrepreneurship-driven groups
- Building local leadership to enhance agency, decision-making, and financial independence
Outcomes
- Over 65% of SHG members accessed collateral-free loans and started enterprises in areas such as livestock, retail, food services, welding, tailoring, and more.
- Earlier reliance on moneylenders has dramatically reduced.
- 100% of Kiran-supported SHGs practice inter-loaning, compared to the state average of 54%.
- Every member holds an operational bank account, surpassing Uttar Pradesh’s 68% female financial inclusion rate.
- 37% of SHG members are now engaged in income-generating activities—far above the state’s 10.6% women-owned MSME rate.
- 60% of women reported increased income, with household earnings rising from ₹7,000 to ₹12,000–₹15,000 per month.
- Supported entrepreneurs now earn ₹12,000–₹15,000 per month, with 60% sustaining businesses for 2+ years and 37% for 6+ years.
Kiran’s continuous handholding, business planning support, and sector-specific training are driving a deeper transformation—moving women from savings to entrepreneurship and unlocking lasting economic empowerment.
