 Good evening again, everybody. This is Cherie speaking at the Commonwealth of Learning. I'm standing in for Christina today. She's on leave But I'd like to thank her very much for all of her arrangements. It's made it really easy for me Just to let you know we are recording the session for today as usual so we can get This session in the hands of more people after the webinar and you can also share it with your teams Just a few reminders before we get started you would see on your screen for go-to meeting How to mute your line? So if somebody else is speaking we kindly remind you to click on that green button so that we can have Silence for the other person who's currently speaking if you have comments or questions while the speaker is Talking you can type in the chat box as well that you see on your screen And we will be sharing the recording of this webinar afterwards as well So I'm just a quick reminder for those of you on Social media on Facebook Twitter Instagram or anything else that you use Please do connect with us at girls inspire on Twitter and at Cole 4d And you can use the hashtag that you see on the screen for financial inclusion or ending child marriage as well So without further ado, I'd like to pass it on to mrs. Francis Ferrara Who's the women and girls senior advisor here at the Commonwealth of learning to make the welcoming remarks? Thank you very much. She reads. Good morning. Good evening. Good afternoon wherever you are I'm very pleased this morning to introduce to you our guest speaker miss Chetna Sina from India Chetna is an economist a farmer and Activist and the founder of and president of the Mandesi Bank a Microenterprise cooperative Development Bank with six branches branches whose clients are women earning an average including women earning an average of 40 Indian rupees a day Chetna founded the Mandesi Foundation to empower and train women Self-help groups in business Entrepreneurism property rights and technology The foundation currently operates in Maharashtra and Karnataka But is a regulatory approval to operate throughout India It also partners with global organizations including the Commonwealth of learning Missy now establishes the women's Chamber of Commerce to offer support of two female entrepreneurs And a business school for rural women to provide training and entrepreneurial skills and since 1996 she has been organizing women in the rural areas of the Maharashtra in fight for land and property rights and Launched a community radio station providing a platform for sharing information Taking into account Chetna's great contribution to the holistic course of female empowerment India's Ministry of Women and Child Development has nominated her as a member of the governing board of the rush to our Mahila cost The short foundation for social entrepreneurship a sister organization of the world Economic Forum Announced Chetna as the winner of the 2013 India social entrepreneur of the year Chetna receives a 2005 Janki Devi Bajaf Purashkar Award for Rural Entrepreneurship She has a lifetime membership with Ashoka innovations for the public and was selected for the 2002 2003 Yale University World Fellows Programme in 2013 Chetna Gala Sena presented at the TEDx Gateway in Mumbai course publication women and leadership in open and distance learning and development Also features Chetna as one of the author authors Ladies and gentlemen you will agree with me that with her passion for women empowerment the road She built for financial inclusion of women There is no better person than Miss Chetna Sena to speak to us on this topic this morning Join me in welcoming the phenomenal Chetna G Sena from Mumbai I think she's speaking from us. What I'm not so sure welcome Chetna G over to you. She reads Thank you very much Francis and a warm welcome to you Chetna G I'm moving to your first slide now and please feel free to get started whenever you're ready. Thank you Sure Hi Francis and hi everybody Thank you so much for providing Thank you so much for providing an opportunity to share my experiences particularly on financial inclusion for women It's interesting that Mandishi started the bank Got the license in 1996 and When you talk about banking low-income group women Generally people talk about microcredit but actually my experience is very different and I'm located in a Very small town very remote location in Maharashtra, which is called must word where majority I mean it's a drought area and I never thought that you know I will start a women's bank or Will do what I'm doing now. I had never planned that way, but actually women from my village they came forward and they said that we want to do savings and My obvious response to that was that Do you want because these women who are street vendors and one of the Kantabai she said that I want to do savings because I stay on the street and in summer It is so much hot and the temperature goes beyond 45 degrees and I need a shelter and I want to save to buy Buy a plush sheet So that I can I can have a shelter for my family. I Realize that, you know Women like her ganta by who wants to who wants to plan their lives And that is the reason why they want to do savings. So I went with her to different banks but banks were not ready to open her account because She was not an affordable client So then I thought if banks are not opening the account why not start a bank and that's how Mandishi Bank was started and It was of course a challenging part was to get the license because these women were non-literate and license for rejected for that It was interesting. I mean when license was rejected I went with these women to Mumbai where the Federal Reserve Bank of India is and these women said that We want to do savings We are not asking for any grant or subsidies from the government We want to plan their lives and they said that We are not not literate, but that does not mean that we cannot count and This I mean I've I've shared this story so many times But I still would like to say that you know these women who have never been to the school They are going to the Federal Reserve Bank office Talking to the director and telling challenging him that you are considering that we cannot count because we are non-literate But tell us to calculate the interest of any principal amount and if we fail to do that don't issue the banking license Actually, I felt when these women were talking that they were so clear what they wanted And they never wanted anything from the government. They wanted just an opportunity to do savings Fire we got the license and Mandishi Bank is operating for last 20 years With these women through whom I have learned so many lessons which I would like to share with you Can you have a second slide? Can we move to this? Yeah So you can see in the slide that who are these women these women are vegetable vendors and it was interesting when we started the bank You know when you when you want to provide an opportunity to low-income group people the first challenge They have is that they do not have a luxury of mobility What I mean is that you know even to walk extra miles or to go somewhere or go to the banking They would lose the work. They are working day. So women were very clear We got the banking license, but they said that we cannot come to the bank So then the when we got the license my first lesson was that Poor can save it's not that poor cannot save and if poor people want to save Mainstream banking sector should open the door for them Which means that should design the credit product in such a saving product in such a way that they can save and When we got the license women were very clear that if we come to the bank We lose our working day. We have to walk miles and come to the bank So the bank decided that if women cannot come to the bank Bank will go to them and that's how we started a doorstep banking You can see in the slide Very clearly that one of our field officer is having a device and he's our women are saving and she's giving the receipt This is now of course now we have a much more advance on a pilot basis We are providing this doorstep banking and our field agents have a smartphone Why I'm talking about this technology also That actually when you talk of inclusion and when you talk of poor people the first thing Which is very important for them is that they are hard and money should be in their control And many of our women they used to say that you know if they see it and if they have a physical past They their family members can see I can have an excess of how much they are saving and they were very clear that you sometimes our husbands they do take away our hard-earned money and spend in liquor drinking and we want we are saving for our children's education and So they were they were demanding Mandishi bank that we should provide them instead of physical past book Provide them a solution where they can have a control on the savings So then Mandishi's decided that why don't we have an electronic past book Can you show the other slide the next slide please? You can see one of our women having these smart cards at These are the cards which has a chip and women have all their saving data on these cards Now of course after demonetization we have much more advanced solution also But before coming to that I would just like to explain that you know people We would always think that these women who are non-literate How will they how will they use these cards? And we also had the same question and we were trying to explain our women that you know when I using the cards You should remember the pin number Our women said that you know we don't want pin number find some other solution And we were trying to explain that them that you should not disclose your pin number when you are using the ATM card or a debit card But women were very clear they said that you know anybody can get an access to a pin number also So you find other solution. So now we have instead of pin number We have a biometric Can you imagine that it and and women were so happy when this biometric Solution was found and they made this comment that comment that anybody can steal our pin number But nobody can steal our thumb Which which is so clear that when these women if they get an opportunity of savings if they get an opportunity of Credit they have a control on their finance they decide where to spend money Not only that but with Mandishi Bank My experience was that when we designed these cards women used to come and they also used to talk about That you know we want the saving we want the saving product Where every year it get it should get mature at the time of this when the schools are opening and my obvious question Was that generally women ask for the saving product One year saving product which get mature at the time of Diwali Because Diwali is a big festival and people want to spend money But why in the beginning of the school? So women said that you know schools because in India for government schools do not have a fee But they said that at the time of the opening of the school we need to buy a bags We need to buy a books for our children and we and we don't have money at that time So if we can save we can buy these It was so clear that when women have a control on finance and when women have When women decide where to spend they spent on the children's education So this is not only just providing an excess it is also providing a control on finance And that's how Mandishi Bank designed the saving and credit product It was very interesting that you know while banking with women women came out with different Additional programs and I would like to share those Can you have us next slide please So the another program which we started was and this was the first I mean I would like I'm very proudly would like to share that this is the first rural women bank Where in such remote location we never had a women bank and when we started these products We saw that many old women would come to the bank and would save their Invest in the fixed deposit and would request bank to give monthly Interest many women would come regularly every month They will come in the beginning of the month and would withdraw the interest once I asked these women That for what are you using these? Interests which you are withdrawing from the account. She said I I am I have me being and I need a regular medicine and My kid I mean I've worked throughout my life my my sons are in Mumbai and I don't get money in time So I have saved the amount and invested it so that in the beginning of the month I can buy my medicine. I felt she knows exactly what she wants and not only that but she's ready to plan for her Old age for her medicine So then we thought why not start a formal pension product for these women and we requested a Mutual fund of in India, which is UTI pen a mutual fund that why don't you design a Pension product for these women now these women who actually save Around five dollars a month for their pension where And that pension premium can be paid There was no such pension product with that low premium but we requested the mutual fund and to design that product for Monday she and Us was the first bank to introduce the pension product for these rural women And I'm so proud to say that now the government of India has a national pension scheme Which is the scheme which actually Monday she had started before and now government has adopted it So, I mean I just want to share that When when we think of inclusion of a poor people it is much more about and a financial inclusion It is it is more about control on finance control on your spendings and not It empowers women Much more when I say empowering much more what I mean is that they are not Vulnerable they are not dependent on their and not only that dependent on their families but they actually Improved the lives of their family and So today nearly the seven thousand women are part of our pension product And I'm proud to say that bank license which was rejected because our women were non-literate today Monday she bank is banking with more and more than three hundred thousand women and We have six branches of The bank and also Monday. She has a foundation now the obvious question would be that you know, why do we have a foundation? I would like to share the history behind that. Can we have a next slide please? so Actually, what happened was that you can see this slide where there are you know There are some technology pictures are there the bus is there and it says that financial digital literacy and banking What happened with Monday? She is that many women would come and one of the women she said that I want to buy a cell phone and I want to buy a two cell phone So our manager said that and so she wanted to take a loan to buy a cell phone so our manager said that why two cell phone so she said that I migrate and I Leave my kids for the higher education with my in-laws and during my migration period I want to be in touch with my family So I leave one cell phone with my children who are staying with my mother-in-law and One cell phone with me so that I can be in touch with them And then she said that I want to also don't know how to operate the cell phone So why don't you why don't bank teachers how to do that? And then we realized that bank cannot do the training of all these things So we started the business school for rural women and when we started a business school for rural women We couldn't do it through the bank so we started a foundation and Foundation started a business school for rural women where women can have a training and Similarly because these women could not travel the distances. So we started up a School on wheels and now we have six buses and foundation operates in at present It is operating in three straight Marashra, Karnataka and Gujarat And we are planning to start our operations in Assam in first state of India and the whole model is that we provide Yes You had some question somebody had some question Okay Okay, so we have the training program Well, it's all the skill and entrepreneurship training program But many women could not travel. So we have this school on wheels where the bus has the bus has the skill training part where bus can be converted into the class and Also at the same time provides the financial and digital literacy and it's not like just creating the awareness But women can actually do the transactions practically So we have a demo atm in the bus where women can do the Transactions also do the mobile payments also and on other side women can get the entrepreneurship Training women can get the skill training so that it's not only just like just an access to finance But it is also access to knowledge at their doorstep so that they can start the businesses They can get the loan so the whole model is such that it's not only just awareness It's not just training, but it also is supporting women to become a successful Entrepreneur and not by doing that Mandishi believes that whatever Modern techno, I mean women should not only own finance, but they should have a ownership of knowledge also control on technology also and I'm proud to say that many of our women Actually, they are now doing after particularly after demonetization in India It's very interesting that you know when some Anything happens like any disaster happens or any major dishes and happens in any country the most affected are poor people and that's similar Similar thing happened in India also at the time of demonetization everybody I mean you must be knowing that India went through demonetization to curb the black money and And the Prime Minister of the our country actually banned the 1500 rupees note which decision was taken so suddenly on 8th of November Being a bank when the we heard that decision we thought that we myself I mean my team cancelled all the program and we were not sure that what will happen in the field and Where may why would any poor person would have those? you know like Big notes thousand rupees note, which is around I would say that Around $30 So why would that I mean poor people would have that big notes They would have it because they would save it because in emergency if somebody is sick in the family They they would need to buy the medicine and after demonetization. We saw that next day Everywhere in the bank Many women many old people would come and they would think that now we would lose our money and They were standing in a queue or they were selling their note at a cheaper rate, which was such a hardened money So then immediately we had to take some in the immediate measures Can you move the next slide? Can yeah This is the bus we aware bus has as I explained that how the different classes and the buses structured where the Women can learn this tailoring women can have a financial literacy under the tent They can young girls can learn computers and laptops and it moves around So this is how the bus operate the business school at the doorstep operates coming back to the Subject of demonetization I would just also would like So Monday she has seven buses and these buses are operating in different location And I'm proud to share that how are we foundation can manage to have these programs So Monday she has the partners like we get the CSR funding from different partners as we are getting from C. O. L. Also for the young girls program similarly for the bus we get it from Unilever For the business school from HSBC We have a partners like Accenture British Asia Trust and Cherry Blair Foundation These are CSR funds are for our women entrepreneurs now on this slide. You are looking at a very charming Face of a lady with the earphone and the my Imagine what it is. It is actually a radio which Monday she has started And when we started radio, the reason were very simple I mean to Were that these women can share their stories? What are their challenges and which their stories can motivate other women to Actually start the businesses save with the bank But when we after demonetization, we saw the use of radio was very different Next day we started relaying the program on radio that you know who whoever wants to actually Exchange the note they can come to the bank and with the buses also we went in India There are rural hearts weekly market takes place and in villages every village is linked with the one weekly Market which takes place in one week and everybody do the buying and selling there and in India We have around 70,000 weekly markets We have a different products saving and credit provide the two-step savings at the weekly market At the time of demonetization our buses went into these weekly market and provided the services of exchange of notes And all the program was relate from the radio Not only that at the time of drought also When we provide the water to the villagers we announced on the radio that you know What time the water tanker is going to come to the villages? It's very interesting that the radio is used for all these services, but at the same time Mandish has this shepherd community which has a very rich culture. They have their own music. They have the local folk Song these programs are also recorded on radio and now we I mean First now nearly radio is operating for last six years It is one of the more one of the first radio which has been started in rural area which has been operated by women and we have some Very interesting women folk singers also who sing on the radio who have never been to the school But they they have a treasure of folk songs folk art which is also preserved So it's I always feel that when when knowing when poor get an access to all these things actually they have a talent and If we don't provide an opportunity to these people We lose the talent and I'm so proud that you know all our women They have so much of talent. They come to the radio. They give program they come to the bank they do start a new businesses with the very innovative idea and They are our role models. I mean we have women Parabets when these women who have not even 10th grade We have under our girls inspired program Many of our young girls have become a pair of eggs who provide the vaccines and insemination for the boats and they go from door to door and provide this services It not only helps them to earn the additional income But it helps them to I mean when they get this training They then they bring money in the family. It actually changes the status of their families Their own status in the family. It gives them the control on finance. It gives them the control on their body also So these are the innovative program with which man this she I mean, it's a sort of an inclusion But this whole inclusion is more about not just you know providing an access But it is more about providing the control. It is more about understanding you know using tapping the talent of these women Can you have a Further Next slide, please Can we have the next slide? Sorry Chetna G. It just takes a few seconds. Let me know if you see the slide now on your screen Yeah, so I was talking about Good program and how our young girls have been, you know empowered and you can see on the slides also that you have these young paramedics who are not only providing the vaccines and In insemination but also they have become a good doctor And it's also like, you know, they are on the two wheeler, which is like it gives them the different mobility Empowers them to deal with the technology and this whole journey from livelihood to entrepreneurship is very important Not only just that this corporate doctor is one example, but there are different businesses which women run So let the we have women who are running about grocery shop owners We have women who are having a bicycle repair shops. We have women who are In textile and who are producing the sports clothes and they get the orders from the school and It's also not only just you know having providing training but linking them with a bigger Providing them with the banking servicing Monday She has a toll-free number under which if women think if women want some information about getting the licensing If the women are in a catering business, they require a licensing for For this business so that then that meant different mentoring is required The legal mentoring is required and Monday. She is providing this through the chambers of commerce One that she has set up it is from livelihood is business school which provides the livelihood Thanks. Thanks. I was I saw your message So in the beginning is the training in livelihood But what we want is that our women should become a successful Entrepreneurs because finally these women entrepreneurs they It doesn't not even did their income increases in their house and Education but they also do a job. They also provide their jobs So that is the whole journey of Monday. She wear up. I mean and now Monday She is aspiring to impact one million women entrepreneur in next five years and when I say Impacting Chetna G. I think the line just cut out for a second if you're able to hear me Do you mind just repeating what you've just said Chetna G. Sheree's speaking. I just want to troubleshoot the audio Are you able to hear me if you if you are able to hear me? Do you mind typing in the chat box? Unfortunately, we're not able to hear you from our side here Chetna G. May I just suggest for you to exit the go-to meeting and come back in again like you did earlier and Perhaps we can make it work Okay, Bellington, it's good that you can hear me We are experiencing some technical difficulties and Sheree is communicating with Chetna G to see whether we can Get her in and out We can still see Chetna's mic is on but we are Not sure whether she can hear us Kuntau or anybody who is in India who can hear us. Can you communicate with Chetna that the line is down? We can unfortunately not hear her But in the meantime, I'm back to Sheree's because I just quickly intervene today. No, that's great. Thank you very much Francis So while we're experiencing technical difficulties We could open the floor to anybody who has comments and I see some Wonderful inspired comments from our colleagues in Pakistan and Bidari from Rafat and Arouge And I also see a comment from Mostafa. I'm complimenting the inclusivity model So I would like to welcome anybody who would like to Speak up and comment on this and or if you have any questions to pose it to us now So that when Chetna G comes back online, we can address those questions I'm gonna start from the top and from when the comments started coming in Rafa, I'd like to invite you to make your comments and let us know what you've thought about the presentation so far Thank you for giving me time It's really like Overwhelming to hear Chetna G and the experience and how she started from scratch and Just helping a single lady and now she's what she's doing and and the essence behind is like she is Dedicated to it and she just want to replicate herself with every every woman she's working with that's like awesome awesome work and She is flourishing because she has such a deep and pure intentions to help and bring positive Changes in woman's life who are so marginalized. Thank you so much for like Organizing this webinar. I'm really happy to hear. Thank you Thank you so much Rafa. I could not agree with you more as I listened to Miss Chetna G's presentation I was inspired and I was nodding along because I felt that genuine and pure Sentiment that you were talking about so that is really powerful and I really appreciate it I just want to update what we're seeing on the chat box now Kuntal from India is trying to reach Miss Chetna G But there may be some technical difficulties It seems like Miss Chetna G can take questions on the chat box So I welcome anybody who has questions and comments to type it into the chat box and we'll read it out here for everybody as well Can we just find out whether Chetna G can hear us Because maybe she can hear us and we can't hear her then we can also talk There are quite a few questions for Chetna G, but while you are all reading and writing your questions I also just want to join Rafa and She reads with their comments and commanding Chetna G and Rafa you couldn't have said it better She's flourishing because her intentions are so pure That that was so profound what you said. Yes, if your intentions are pure and just want to yell other people Nothing can come in your way. And I think that is a great example for us all Who are also giving so selflessly you the partners wherever you are to empower the women and the girls but I Cannot I mean that the statement you made is really it really is struck me That it is so profound and it is so so true because Look where Chetna G started with all of this and look where they are today. I Cannot agree with you more So I think now Chetna G would have a time to read through the comments and We we think she may not be able to hear us so Kuntal indicated he can't get through to them But after Kuntal she did write a message and say whether there are any questions. So we hope she can see the questions and Respond to the questions either in the chat box or It's she can try and go out and try and speak to us Okay, thank you very much Francis. I've just seen a message from Kuntal that she he got through to Chetna G and she is trying to get back Into the chat room after logging out So we'll wait for a few minutes in the meantime There's so many amazing comments coming in from the chat box and I think for the purposes of the meeting We will read them out While we wait for Miss Chetna G We started seeing comments from Rafat and Arouge from Bidari saying that it's such an inspiration Mostafa was also saying what a great model it is and for inclusivity Mostafa is also saying that it's interesting to learn how the talents of the rural women are being unearthed Just by providing financial support and accommodating skills training It makes the women very smooth-going with their plans and innovative ideas I think Mostafa you've also Typed in a few more comments after that. Would you like to unmute your phone so that you can speak to your comments? Hi, Mostafa we can hear you. Please go ahead. Yes Hi, so I think what I learned from the presentation of Chetna G it is Very exciting for me. Actually as a student of business I found that it's truly interesting but the thing is a bank is providing the financial support So traditionally they provide the financial support and the rest of the things depend on the Woman or the client. So in this case she the Mandashi Bank is not only providing the financial support They're ensuring this that the business support it creates some change or Value to the economy to the family to that person and to the society as well So I think it is not only to uplift the socioeconomic condition of the rural women So it can be a great model for the development of the nation as a whole because Other banks they are suffering from a lot of biographies, so if they follow these things so if they provide loans they cannot recover it because They don't know where the money is going So this model can be expanded even in the bigger cases like industrial investments to Thank you very much. Thank you Mostafa. That's wonderful and I agree with you like you say This model has created an economy their own world for these women to thrive So it's it's a really powerful model that they've implemented in the journey to hear about it is amazing I see that you also had a question regarding business schools and advice from Miss Chetnajee So after this webinar, we will create a forum on our community of practice where we can address these questions Given that we're facing technical difficulties So we will forward these questions and we invite you to join that chat after this webinar I will move on to the next comment and question on a chat. I see I See Missy from ADPP in Mozambique. I'm having a question as well Missy, would you like to unmute your phone and speak to your question? Hello. Thank you so much Sharon and Francis for this My question was just around how expensive it was to fit out the class Yeah, ways to fit it out for the different type of courses Thank you. Thank you so much Missy That is that is a really good question and it you know setting up the foundation and the business school the mobile buses To get those buses to the rural women who need them is so important So this question as well, we will please we invite you to address and post these questions on our community of practice after so we can Continue this conversation because these are really important questions and I think there's so much so much to learn from here And it's such a rich discussion I'll move on and see the next questions again from Rafat. How safe was was mobile banking? Afizal as well Commenting that it's really inspiring I See quite I see a comment from Arush as well saying that it's deeply moved her and touched her How she has taken women out of their shells provided employment opportunities So uneducated and help them get the grants and loans for their business is a really huge work done And I agree with you It's really bringing the needs of women to those women and listening to those needs So those are really powerful Again, I'll open the floor to Rafat who has also posed her question Just for the sake of everybody here on the line to hear that and to also Contemplate over these questions that everybody is posting here Yeah Well, the question is stuck in my mind when I saw a woman sitting in a bank A bank that is a study sitting in next to the vendor a woman vendor selling her Vegetables that was like how much that is like where the trust is needed the woman is earning for the for like for the whole day and she's giving her money to a woman to another woman and That requires quite a lot of trust and how they have built it Because where money is involved trust is what needed the most That is how I just want to know from Tick-A-Dee how she has managed and how she has trained her staffs and everything and One thing that that was very Like good what she said she is providing ownership of knowledge and technology that was like awesome statement from Tick-A-Dee. She's like providing she is building a woman from by providing her knowledge and Providing them ownership of knowledge and Technology so they can't be lagging behind from anyone. That's brilliant. Thank you Hi, Rafa. Thank you so much for your comments I've got Chetna G on Skype here And so we will try something quite new and this is us improvising with technologies when things Gotta kind of go not according to plan So Rafa, would you mind just post posing your question again and speak up and we'll see if Ms. Chetna G can hear you. Hello Tick-A-Dee, can you hear me? Yes. Yes, I can And I'm wonderful to hear you anytime and every time Yes, I just want to ask when you started the idea of This banking system from the day and the question just stuck in my mind when I saw a woman in front of A woman in front of this vendor, a disabled vendor Female she has earned her hard earned money and she is giving to a banking lady that That requires quite a lot of trust and how you have created or your community has created that trust How you build that trust that I just want to know Yeah, very important actually, you know when we were setting up the bank My I also myself was so tensed because actually you are not only just you are dealing with the poor people's hard earned money And so how do you build up that whole soon? The first thing was that we had a local board and All every decision used to be taken in the board and so in from the beginning like going to reserve bank Asking for the license all that actually was done much more collectively It wasn't like in the beginning as I said that I never thought I will be doing starting a bank So it wasn't just business plan and action plan. It was more sort of a You know collective action that was one and Second I would like to say is that when in the beginning when we started bank We used to have a field agent who are also women and they would do collect the savings and Every day, you know, how much amount is being collected? How many everything was Was money set you whatever you do How do you keep your things much more transparent when there was not the technology was not there So whenever we use the device and all so everyone should have a proof So these women many women used to do that also in beginning to test ourselves That they would say keep the receipt and next day they would come and they would say, okay What is the balance of my account balance in my account and when they get the proper? I mean the answers That's how they trust it takes time to build up the trust also when we started the pension product particularly What we saw was that When the pain women registered for the pension product, you saw majority of the accounts watch what we got Most of the women were like, you know 551 and now fund manager said that it's very difficult to have such a pension product where there is All the people are from the same age and so we try to talk to women that why it happened that way And many women laughed and they said that we want to check that, you know Are we getting the amount when our pension product gets matured and first three years it got immediately like we had to give the Matured amount to many women when they got their money back Then they realized that yes, we are getting our money back. So there are different ways where you know, one is that how do you How do you show that, you know, they should have a proof And based on their proof Their accounts are being matched. So that is one And then second is that they also test you and whenever they test you like when they are when their savings are getting matured Or they are coming for the withdrawal and many times you have to You have to do a lot of work for them. So say for example, if if they are withdrawing Your whole field the field agents were trained in such a way that From the very first day when we started the doorstep banking You must have seen in the slide those device where the device had all the data and at the end of the day Before the closing the day Wish we would transfer that amount to their account so that very next day morning if they want to check their balances They can check. So these are the different ways where you actually develop their trust And in the beginning that was challenging actually But at the same time I think that It it is also about, you know continuously talking to them Whenever they have a question you are there to reply that and of course not individually one person But you have a team of women who are Our team who are trained and who are answerable to them. So these things are very important that You have to deal with And as far as using the technology is concerned I think once that trust is built up and and how do people test you so that is that They would like to come and meet you directly And would like to say that okay, I'm investing this much of amount and how much interest I'm going to get it and what dates I will get it everything has to be explained to them properly and even The terminology what you use say for example Like when There is a when women are saving so they would like to save Diwali to Diwali Right. So in the beginning many times it would happen that okay Diwali to Diwali means one Diwali means the festival of light. So one year which is 365 days But then you have to figure out that you know those dates and the festival should match So you tell them that okay, you will get this much amount around this festival next year So the communication has to be very much Done in such a way that the person who is delivering on the bank side Even she is educated that does not I mean she has to communicate in such a way that The that our women understand and also women are very smart as far as calculations are concerned So I'll give you another example that in banking system Everything is calculated yearly But when you talk to people talk to rural people They have a calculations of monthly. So you have to explain them that okay How much interest are you going to get or you will be charged monthly? They understand that terminology. So we had to develop those things also And we used to have a like like sorry go ahead Please go ahead. I just wanted to thank you for those powerful comments. Please continue No, I'm just saying that another thing which we in the beginning what we used to do is that We used to have a village meetings And so we had a field agent who would collect the savings right in India the postal service is also there And we would you you don't know there is a term in the banking thing is mystery shopping Which means that you have a one person Who who checked the So one field agent. She's doing a saving collection and Well, sir, there is a sudden check where we tell our women that We will send our officers to see that your passbook balance and bank balance are same. So the people those who are Providing the banking service in the field. They know that there is a monitoring going on and women who are savings They also know that there is a proper monitoring system is there in the bank But at the same time, I would like to share that in the beginning We had to say that at any time if you have any question you can always approach us It's not that, you know, we are going to operate in 10 to 5 and you cannot Contact us because these people had these Our skepticism in the beginning and for to develop the trust you need to you need to Give that much time Thank you so much for such a detailed answer. Thank you so much Thank you so much Thank you so much That was a really really important conversation to have how to develop trust Especially when money is involved and we've heard that again and again human relationships that patients in understanding And openness is really important to develop that trust We have a lot of amazing Comments coming in On the chat box. I see one from afizal hossain I'm from cms in bangladesh afizal. I invite you to unmute your phone and also make your comments or any questions you may have Thank you shirris for giving me the opportunity I am really amazed at how Chicken alum has been explaining everything but One thing was very Impressive to me that how mandishi foundation have overcome their challenges and it was really very important for example There was a thing of physical account book or cash book and If they provide physical cash book or account book and then they the woman may not have proper control On their finance because anybody can access to that physical account book and then they have developed a sort of alternative a contingency and how More control over the financial activities and transactions may be developed and another thing was also Providing rupee debit card And then there was the question of password and pink pin number and anybody can access to the number and then they have developed an alternative solution to that biometrics and fingerprint so there are many explicit challenges mandishi function has overcome and also there were many underlying challenges that we can feel and assume and imagine because of that Overcoming capacity of challenges and mandishi foundation has overcome their successes and Thank you very much and heartfelt gratitude to Chetna madam for her wonderful presentation and insight and realistic explanation About her experiences. Thank you. Thank you so very much. Thanks Thank you so much. That was a really good summary as well how they how they took their challenges Um and made that as opportunities for innovation So we will move on to the next question being mindful of time and your time in the evening there wherever you are We'll take one more question and the rest of the comments and questions can be addressed On our online community of practice and we will send that email to follow up after Now I invite missy from adpp in mozambique to again speak up her question And then from there we will move on to closing remarks. Thank you very much Hi, Chetna. Thank you ever so much for this wonderful and so informative webinar I just wanted to find out how how Expensive it is to Fit the buses the way that they are to put all those costs Uh Okay, so As far as bus program is concerned Actually, uh, the initial installation cost is very high. I like to have one is that Uh, you know when you it's not only just The bus but inside you have a tailoring machine and you create a classroom inside You have a tent and all that so the first time cost is very high How mandishi has been operated is that uh, we have a supporters who support the foundation business school on wheels And we have a partnership with unilever hindustan unilever We operate in their areas and we have a regional partnership with them So they provide the support for the bus now what we do is that as far as operational cost is concerned We plan the bus Celeb, I mean the calendar in such a way that at least in one day on the same route We can do say two or three villages and In each course we tell that at least 20 women should participate and they have to pay the fees So that whatever say some say for example, three courses are going on and if our women are participating At least we try to see that the diesel cost Is taken care of by the fees So that the recurring cost is reduced Uh, but then the installation the capital expenditure is there in the bus But at the same time the number of people you can reach through buses much much higher Then uh, otherwise you would do in the office and another cost which is reduced is that these Women whom otherwise they would have spent their money for the traveling Which is not being spent, right? So on the one side. Yeah, the bus goes to the villages But we don't have a A fixed cost and at the same time bus can go to the three location On in a one day So that actually instead of having the cost of three locations this bus is taken care of That is one and the calendar is such that in each village that the route is route at the three center is I mean that is designed in such a way the Bus calendar is designed in such a way that at maximum number of women can be reached in one day And bus goes to each village at least for 15 days So that they get the Full training and once they get full training Then they can also start their businesses So this whole bus program is also linked with the schools with the young girls And where these young girls in India like in villages There are schools to not have computers or if computers are there it is like one or two computers Even they are not in a operating state Many times there is no power So when even the computer class is there it does not make sense if power is not there Bus also has not only just laptops, but also connectivity. So all these It's also providing all these things at the doorstep And you know a village young girl if she can operate on computer. It's not only just It helps to increase our knowledge, but it gives her a confidence to deal with the technology So, yeah coming back to your question about The expenditure of bus I would say that, you know, if it goes to three location The the cost of three location together Though the initial installation cost is high But with the fees and everything the recurring cost Is reduced but on the other side Which if the bus would not have been there Those women who are on the remote location would never had an opportunity to get this excess So I think that social Capital Is very high The social return is much more higher than the expenditure Thank you so much Chetna G and thank you so much Missy for your question Miss Chetna G before we move on to closing remarks I would just like to take this opportunity to thank you very much for sharing with us your passion and your insights It's really appreciated and inspiring to everybody. I invite you to Tweet on our webinar today and continue this conversation and share This really important information to others and in our networks as well so that we can reach more women and girls through through this model And without further ado, I'd like to pass it on to francis to make the closing remarks. Thank you everybody Thank you. She ranks Thank you. Cherise. Thank you everybody who have joined us for the session um, I also want to Although very late at this point. Apologize for Miss Daisy and the majority of the team at C MES in Bangladesh who couldn't join us because it started today unfortunately, um They could not join us, but thank you all who joined us even some of you who are involved in the religious festival I see Afsal here. Thank you so much Uh, Chetna G when your line was was down somebody made a very profound statement and I think I want to close with that Rafat from Pakistan said that Chetna's intentions are pure. That is why she is flourishing So I couldn't agree with her more that the reason for Mandesi foundation Mandesi banks progress and success Has to do with your intentions when you started it It was pure you From then up to today when we listen to you we can hear it's not about you It's about the women is about as you said Put the control of their money in their hands Making sure that they are in charge making sure that they are not as you said So vulnerable so that they can make those decisions and make these Changes within their families So I want to thank you for making the time. We know you are very busy And uh making the time to speak to us, uh, we really appreciated you Go to know how much it means to us if the team here it does inspire but also By extension our teams in the field um these inspiring words The way you you started it so the examples you gave us Uh, although some of us may want to do exactly that We cannot do it at this point, but we know in many many years from now There will will be some other mandages Within other countries across the globe because of the inspiration that you have been Handing out for as long as you have been doing this. Thank you so much and thank you also To your son path who supported you in the background And whose phone we called when we realized there is a technical glitch Thank you so much once again. Thank you everybody The recording of the session will be sent to you all by charise. We will also send it to check naji So if there's anything else check naji, you would want to respond You are welcome to do that Within an email and ask one of your colleagues to send it to us and we can post it on our community of practice This webinar will go on our youtube channel Where many more people across the globe can listen to it. So, thank you very much everybody. Good night. Good evening Wherever you are. Bye. Bye