To celebrate Women’s World Banking’s 45th anniversary, we are showcasing the voices of individuals from around the world who have shaped and touched Women’s World Banking journey since its inception in 1979 to today!
These are stories from across Women’s World Banking’s reach from the women we serve and our customers, to allies and women in leadership who have contributed to women’s economic empowerment and financial inclusion.
For Apurva Zhagade, the journey toward financial independence began with something as simple—and as powerful—as a good meal.
Living in Gimhavane village in India, Apurva is a wife, a mother of two, and now, the proud owner of a small hotel business. But just a few years ago, she was preparing homemade meals for community events, earning praise for the quality and care that went into every bite. Encouraged by local Lions Club members who consistently told her, “If your food tastes this good, why don’t you start something on your own?” Apurva took a leap that would not only change her life but also reshape the future of her family.
This is not just a story about one woman’s determination—it’s a window into the challenges and opportunities facing millions of women entrepreneurs across India.
India is home to the largest number of under- and unbanked women in the world. Without access to formal financial services like affordable credit, their ability to grow businesses, manage risks, or recover from setbacks remains limited. This financial exclusion is not just a missed opportunity for individual women—it constrains the resilience and economic potential of entire communities.
Women’s World Banking, in partnership with the Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI), is working to change that. Together, they are piloting the Prayaas loan—a solution designed specifically for women like Apurva. The Prayaas loan offers collateral-free, affordable financing to women entrepreneurs in rural India, bundled with business registration support, training on digital payments, bookkeeping, and guidance on good credit behavior.
For Apurva, access to this kind of financing was transformative. With a small loan obtained through her Self-Help Group (SHG) and savings from her husband, she was able to turn her passion into a hotel business that now supports her entire family. “Our children’s education and all other expenses depend on my income,” she shares.
But the path hasn’t been easy. Climate shocks like cyclones and floods are a harsh reality for Apurva and many women entrepreneurs across the region. “The first day we started the hotel upstairs, I faced a huge setback due to a cyclone. Nothing was left—only four walls stood,” she recalls. Seasonal floods disrupt her business for nearly four months each year, bringing not only financial strain but emotional stress as well.
Globally, three out of four women with inadequate financial services live in climate-vulnerable regions. For women like Apurva, this makes access to reliable credit not just about business growth—it’s about survival.
What makes the Prayaas loan stand out is not just the financing itself but the speed and accessibility of the process. “We can get the loan very quickly, within one to two days, and the interest is low,” Apurva explains. “Many people in my village have benefited from this.”
Today, Apurva stands as a role model for other women in her community. “If we have money, we can confidently buy even if it’s a small thing,” she says.
“Every woman should become self-reliant, no matter how small the business.”
Her story is proof that with the right financial tools, women don’t just survive—they thrive.
Women’s World Banking is dedicated to economic empowerment through financial inclusion for the nearly one billion women in the world with no or limited access to formal financial services. Using our sophisticated market and consumer research, we turn insights into real action to design and advocate for policy engagement, digital financial solutions, workplace leadership programs, and gender lens investing.
As part of our current strategy, we’ve helped provide over 86 million women in emerging markets access and use of financial products and services that are transforming women’s lives, households, businesses and communities, and driving inclusive growth globally.
Help us reach the nearly billion women still excluded from the formal financial system. Donate now.
