AU Small Finance Bank (AUSFB)), India’s largest SFB, has successfully empowered 787 women to become self-reliant entrepreneurs through its ‘AU Udyogini’ program in Jaipur, Karauli, and Baran districts of Rajasthan. The achievement was celebrated today at Manoharpur village in Shahpura where 48 of such businesses were inaugurated by Mr. Manish Yadav, MLA, Shahpura (Jaipur) Constituent Assembly. In the ongoing month, 133 businesses owned by women entrepreneurs were inaugurated across the Jaipur, Karauli, and Baran districts.
The AU Udyogini program was launched in October 2022 as a pilot project by AU Small Finance Bank’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) wing, benefiting 25 individual rural women. Initially, its primary focus was on generating entrepreneurship opportunities for women from families of daily wage earners whose incomes were adversely affected during the COVID-19 pandemic. Soon the expansion of this program was aligned with the NITI Aayog’s ambitious plan to improve India’s ranking in the Human Development Index (HDI) by enhancing the standard of living in identified districts and ensuring inclusive development.
Now, AU Udyogini empowers women from distressed backgrounds in rural Rajasthan and enables them to improve their respective family incomes. AU Small Finance Bank trains them in establishing 24 kinds of businesses including masala business, craft, beauty parlour etc. The bank also helps them with market linkages to set up their individual businesses.
Providing insight into the inspiration behind this initiative, Sanjay Agarwal, Founder, Managing Director & CEO of AU Small Finance Bank, said, “AU Small Finance Bank is proud to announce the successful empowerment of 787 women as self-reliant entrepreneurs in Rajasthan through our ‘AU Udyogini’ program. This milestone not only reflects our commitment to women’s economic empowerment but also aligns with our broader mission of fostering inclusive development in collaboration with NITI Aayog. This initiative, rooted in our social responsibility, represents a sincere endeavour to empower women, providing crucial support to help them pursue their dreams.”
Appreciating the efforts, Mr. Manish Yadav, MLA, Shahpura (Jaipur) Constituent Assembly, said, “AU Udyogini program is not only making women self-reliant and capable but also developing leadership abilities in them. I appreciate the social work being done by AU Small Finance Bank in the region and also thank them for the work they have done during the Covid 19 pandemic.”
In addition to supporting individual women entrepreneurs, AU Small Finance Bank has initiated the establishment of two women-led community enterprises named ‘Maa Annapurna’ Spices & Oil Company and ‘Nirjhari’ Company of Women Artisans. Simultaneously, to foster a savings culture among women, the bank has also formed Self-Help Groups (SHGs). In total, these initiatives have positively impacted 2,300 women in Rajasthan.
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