About the Project

The Microfinance for Women Alliance (MWA) will work with women entrepreneurs from underserved communities to make institutional financing something they can actually access, not just something that exists on paper. On the awareness front, the project will publish commentaries on microfinance and women's economic empowerment, drawing on research and case studies from India and the wider Global South. Along with this, a key initiative of the project would be a comprehensive directory of banks, microfinance institutions, NGOs, and government schemes offering loans and financial support to women entrepreneurs, with loan terms, eligibility, and application steps broken down in plain language for first-time applicants. 

Alongside the directory, MWA will run in-person workshops, including a session on the basics of microfinance and small-business lending. This would be paired with an easy-to-follow guidebook, with chapters discussing loan terminology, financing options, and how to apply for a loan responsibly. To help women act on what they learn, the project will also run a crowdfunding campaign on milaap to organize a micro-grant programme that will put seed funding directly into the hands of selected entrepreneurs for business-related equipment, stock inventory, or expansion.