Guwahati, Aug 31: Sa-Dhan, in partnership with HSBC, Grameen Development Financial Services Pvt Ltd, and Upfront, is conducting a six-day digital financial training workshop from August 26 to 31, 2024, in Chayyagaon, Boko, and Loharu blocks of Kamrup, Assam. This initiative is part of the ongoing project, “Enabling Digital Solutions to Overcome Digital Inclusion Barriers,” which has been building digital capacity for community and MFI loan officers since 2022.
With the support of HSBC and various regional partners, Sa-Dhan has successfully expanded its reach across India, covering six states—West Bengal, Gujarat, Chhattisgarh, Punjab, Maharashtra and Rajasthan—in the previous phase. “The project has made a significant impact, benefiting 58,884 direct and indirect beneficiaries and assisting seven partner institutions in adopting digital financial literacy, a testament to its success and potential for further growth”, said Mr Chandan Kumar, the Deputy Director of Sa-Dhan.
Chandan adds, “A baseline survey was conducted on April 23-24, 2024, in Kamrup district, Assam, involving 110 participants from 10 villages across three blocks, which revealed the key insights: while all participants have bank accounts, 67% lack debit cards, 93% are unfamiliar with POS machines, and 59% do not use UPI, despite 85% having access to smartphones.”
The current training program is comprehensive, covering a range of topics including saving accounts, digital payments, ATM card usage, the BHIM interface, and fraud prevention. It aims to empower over 500 MFI clients from rural areas of Kamrup by addressing challenges such as low digital adoption, technological instability, lack of infrastructure, and fraud risks. The workshop's final day will include specialized training for on-ground loan officers to enhance their ability to support clients effectively.
Sa-Dhan is committed to fostering financial inclusion and enhancing digital financial literacy, particularly for unbanked communities and women in remote areas. This initiative is another step toward ensuring all communities have the tools and knowledge to access and benefit from digital financial services.
About Sa-Dhan
Sa-Dhan is the first and largest association of Impact Finance Institutions and an RBI recognized Self-Regulatory Organization (SRO) for Microfinance Institutions. It was formed over two decades back for supporting and strengthening the agenda of fostering Inclusive Impact Finance in India. It strives for creating a better understanding of the microfinance sector among policymakers, funders, banks, governments, researchers, and practitioners. Sa-Dhan has 224 members working in 33 States/UTs which includes both, for Profit and Not for Profit MFIs, SHG promoting institutions, SFBs, Banks, rating agencies, capacity-building institutions etc. Sa-Dhan is also recognized as a National Support Organization (NSO) by National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM).
