How Financial Education Drives Women’s Empowerment Across India

Did you know that only 21% of women in India are financially literate, as compared to a 29% literacy rate among men? This disparity highlights the urgent need to improve financial education to unlock their full potential.

When a woman lacks a basic understanding of concepts, it limits her ability to make informed savings and investment decisions.

Empowering women with financial knowledge isn’t just beneficial, it’s important for unlocking their true potential and fostering long-term economic independence. 

To address this challenge, NGOs for Women in India, such as Watershed Organisation Trust or WOTR, are actively providing financial education, enabling women to improve their lives and those of their families.

Source - Integrated farming systems

Pinky was a resident of Perenda, a village between Odisha and Andhra Pradesh. She spent her formative years away from home, in an Nutrition Rehabilitation Centre (NRC) and later in an orphanage because her mother passed away when she was three days old and her father couldn’t take care of an infant. She attended school until the fifth grade but was forced to drop out due to financial constraints. 

Then in 2020, she learned about WOTR’s initiative and reached out to them for support. Recognising her unwavering determination, WOTR provided her with a 3-horsepower irrigation pump with which she cultivated vegetables year-round. In 2022, Pinky was selected by WOTR as a kitchen garden beneficiary and was trained in climate-resilient farming practices, generating revenue for her and staying financially independent. 

Beyond farming, WOTR has helped many women like Pinky diversify their income, supporting small businesses, goat rearing, and mushroom cultivation.

Source: how maize collection centres empower women

Seema Kandhare is a 33-year-old farmer from Khaparkheda village who is employed at a maize collection centre in Jalna, Maharashtra.

Seema started working as a Wasundhara Sevak with WOTR to earn an income. She used to guide farmers about the usage of organic formulations, instruct women on how to design kitchen gardens and examine the nutritional status of children, and pregnant & lactating mothers in the region. 

Then the Purnakarth Farmer Producer Company (FPC) selected four women, including Seema, to collect the produce and examine it. The Purnakarth Farmer Producer Company (FPC), set up by Watershed Organisation Trust (WOTR), wanted to include and recruit more women in its functioning.

When asked about her work and the increased involvement of women at the collection centre and as company shareholders, Seema expressed happiness with the progress. She said, “More women need to be involved to ensure their financial security.”

Simply put, WOTR has supported 2,55,129 women in 2024-25 like Pinky and Seema in achieving financial literacy and creating better futures for their families.

In the end, financial literacy is more than a skill; it’s a catalyst for change. As the stories of Pinky and Seema show, empowering women with financial knowledge unlocks doors to independence, stability, and dignity. NGOs like WOTR play a significant role in bridging the financial literacy gap, helping women build sustainable livelihoods and strengthen their families’ futures.