MFI Report

The Mann Deshi Mahila umbrella of operations encompasses three distinct organizations – Mann Deshi Mahila Sahakari Bank, Mann Vikas Samajik Sanstha, and Mann Deshi Mahila Bachat Gat Federation.

The Mann Deshi Mahila Sahakari Bank (Mann Deshi) is a regulated cooperative bank run by and for women. Founded in 1997, it is India’s first rural financial institution to receive a cooperative license from the Reserve Bank of India.

Mann Vikas Samajik Sanstha (Mann Vikas) is a non-profit organization that provides a variety of non-financial services to our clients. Mann Vikas is responsible for promoting girls’ education and providing our women with HIV/AIDS health education camps, student scholarships, and vocational skills training.

Mann Deshi Mahila Bachat Gat Federation (Self-Help Group Federation) is a non-profit association aimed at organizing rural female entrepreneurs. The Federation currently consists of more than 1560 self-help groups. These groups are made up of self-employed women such as vegetable vendors, milk sellers, and weavers. It receives loans directly from the Bank and, with additional support from the Indian government, conducts lending activities.

100% of Mann Deshi clients are poor women with annual incomes averaging 22,000 rupees ($490). An astounding 70% of our clients come from backward castes. Mann Deshi Bank is proud to have become the first bank in the country to have more than 2000 members from backward castes. Roughly one-half of all Mann Deshi clients are street vendors or day laborers. The other half owns small enterprises, including tailoring, rope making, and dairies. The average age of our clients is 36 and most of them live in large households consisting of at least two children and both of her in-laws.

Our experience has shown that when women control the household finances, more money is spent on children, education, healthcare, and other important domestic items. We believe that the financial empowerment of women will hasten the growth and development of rural India, thereby creating a better life for future generations.

To this end, we have encouraged hundreds of women to become confident, capable leaders in their families and local communities. We have trained our women to lead Self Help Groups, manage accounts, and keep financial records. Cacher