MAINSTREAMING FINANCIAL INCLUSION FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITY John Alex-Head-Social Initiatives December 2016

Can a microfinance institution reach out to Persons with Disability?

YES! Presenting Equitas’ model…

REACHING OUT TO THE DISABLED – EQUITAS’ ACHIEVEMENTS Inclusion of Disabled women members in Financial Inclusion 2008-2009--760 2009-2010--2291 2010-2011—1915 2011-2012– 470 2012-2013- 793 2013-2014- 927 2014-2015: 3071 2015-2016: 3948 2016-2017: 4288 Total: 18463 ( includes 3623 people who are blind)

Kavitha’s story: Coming out of Darkness Lost her vision when her husband poured acid on her 13 years ago Constrained by her disability she confined herself to her home for many years No job or loan support available from local bank or government Microfinance loan (around US$250) from Equitas Simple accommodation measures (e.g. reciting out the MFI pledge aloud, taking turns to assist her to attend the meeting) Business has enabled her to support her mother and herself and be socially accepted in the community

Data of Disabled Clients at Equitas

Data of Disabled Clients at Equitas

Socially marginalised Economically marginalised Conscious Policy decision to reach the extremely poor Who are extremely poor? Socially marginalised Economically marginalised Persons with Disability

Lack of mobility to attend meetings lack of experience in business Early Attempts to include Disabled Persons Discussion initiated with Disabled Peoples Organisations. Scope for reaching credit to exclusive disabled groups did not appear to be feasible due to: Lack of mobility to attend meetings lack of experience in business lack of adequate livelihood skills

Differentiated approach Access to credit to disadvantaged groups to be part of the main program rather than separate program

Features of mainstreaming Leverage existing infrastructure, community resources: Existing groups identify people with disability from their neighbourhood Group members help identify business activities and support in starting up Equitas provides loan and skill development Group provides moral support

Challenges faced Convincing the board & organisation Convincing & motivating the field staff Taking into confidence the existing group members Motivating them to identify the target individuals & hand holding them through the entire process Confidence building among the target members

Benefits Direct Benefits: Other benefits: Support mechanism for the target segment Other benefits: Social capital at the group level Enhanced alignment of staff with company’s philosophy

Progressing inclusion -Our actions so far… Training & sensitizing loan officers Disability facts over myths, disability etiquettes Practical training to identify clients with disabilities Disability awareness training made integral part of the loan officer certification Making systems/process more disability friendly & inclusive: Disability Access audit conducted at branches to understand their processes & identify barriers Simple solutions provided to make processes accessible – e.g. tactile marking on passbooks, basic sign language training for loan officers, meetings at residence of disabled person

Inclusion of Socially challenged in mainstream

IMPACT-UNITUS STUDY REPORT Savings from the business has increased after availing the loan Income from the business has increased after availing the loan

IMPACT-UNITUS STUDY REPORT Client population is socially more active after availing the loan than before Client population is socially more active than non- client population Esteem of clients in the eye of family members and neighbours improved

IMPACT-UNITUS STUDY REPORT INCREASE IN ASSETS: Mobile phones and LPG stove are the most popular consumer durables bought in the last six months

2014 NCPEDP award for working group

ROAD MAP further extending the financial service to family members such as mothers/wives/sisters of with ID & physical disabled To conduct an in house impact study to develop long term plan Support other MFIs by sharing best practices

Reaching new clients Coordinating with DPO’s sector for identifying clients for financial inclusion by: Selection of suitable clients by the DPO’s ii) Sharing profile of selected clients with Equitas iii) Establishing contact with the clients selected by DPO’s by Equitas staff/Group leaders for mainstreaming in the financial inclusion

Tie up with DPO’s & GOVT Skill Development Entrepreneurship Development Training Treatment & Corrective surgeries, eye operations& health camps Obtaining artificial limbs, crutches,tricycles and hearing aids for client & family members

Crutches/Calipers Donated to women

EXPECTATIONS FROM LIKE MINDED DPO’S Assistance for Advocacy for information sharing Assistance for undertaking skill/entrepreneurship & leadership development for disabled

Entrepreneurship Development Program for Disabled women

Key note address by Chief Guest Mr Key note address by Chief Guest Mr. Vikram Kapoor IAS World Disability day December 2013

Speech by Chief Guest Mr Speech by Chief Guest Mr. Sanjay Arora, IPS World Disability day December 2014

World Disability day December 2016

About Equitas Started in 2007 Run on high ethical and moral standards 3.5 million clients in 10 states EQUITAS: THE MOST FAIR, TRANSPARENT AND ETHICAL MFI IN THE WORLD! Now as a Bank vision is to reach 5% of Indian house holds by 2020

Touching lives……….. Transforming Future…….. The Equitas Ecosystem <=> Mission statement Touching lives……….. Transforming Future…….. Micro Finance, Pragathi, SME Skill Development-EGK Placement services Savings on Food –EDK Health Services -- Primary, Secondary: Help line; Telemedicine: Camps in VF Branch ,MCS-FFH Health Education *Regular Schools- Equitas Gurukul

Thank you