Back to Projects

Financial Literacy Workshops

Teaching basic finance to domestic workers in my apartment complex

10
Participants
9/10
Opened Bank Accounts
₹65K
Total Savings
6
Weekly Sessions

The Story

The domestic workers in our apartment complex—aunties who cook, clean, and help our families daily—have zero financial literacy. They keep cash under mattresses, fall for scams, have no insurance, and don't know about government benefits they're entitled to. They work hard but have no financial security.

I organized free 6-week Sunday workshops teaching banking, budgeting, insurance, and fraud prevention. Made it simple: no jargon, lots of examples, field trips to bank. 10 women attended. Results: 9 opened bank accounts, saved ₹65K collectively in 3 months, 4 enrolled in health insurance, 0 fell for scams (vs 3 victims last year). They're now teaching their friends.

why this matters: May 2023 - Kamala aunty, who's cooked for my family for 12 years, asked to borrow ₹30,000 for her daughter's admission. she'd been keeping cash under her mattress (NO bank account!) and got robbed of ₹8,000. no insurance. no emergency fund. zero knowledge of FREE government health schemes she qualified for. she works 12-hour days but has ZERO financial security. i felt angry at the system and ashamed i never thought to help. so i started Sunday workshops. 6 weeks later: 9/10 women opened bank accounts. ₹65,000 saved collectively. 4 enrolled in FREE Ayushman Bharat insurance (₹5 lakh coverage!). Radha aunty avoided a ₹5,000 pyramid scheme scam. these women aren't financially illiterate because they're unintelligent—they're brilliant managers. they just never had ACCESS to information. now they do. 💰🙏

monthly budget calculator (try it yourself!)

actual impact after 3 months

Bank Accounts Opened
9/10
90% participation
Total Savings
₹66K
Avg ₹13100/person
Insurance Coverage
2/10
20% protected

Participant Progress

Kamala Devi
45 years old
₹15,200
in savings
✓ Bank Account
Radha Sharma
38 years old
₹8,900
in savings
✓ Bank Account✓ Insurance
Lakshmi Bai
52 years old
₹22,100
in savings
✓ Bank Account
Sunita Verma
41 years old
₹12,500
in savings
✓ Bank Account✓ Insurance
Meena Devi
36 years old
₹6,800
in savings
✓ Bank Account

what we actually taught (6 sundays)

1
Banking Basics
How to open savings account, use ATM, understand passbook. Field trip to bank branch.
2
Budgeting & Saving
50/30/20 rule adapted for domestic workers. Creating monthly budget. Emergency fund importance.
3
Insurance & Protection
Government schemes: Ayushman Bharat, Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima. How to enroll.
4
Avoiding Fraud
Recognizing scams, loan sharks, pyramid schemes. Safe lending/borrowing practices.
5
Children's Education
Govt scholarship programs, education savings plans, avoiding predatory education loans.
6
Retirement Planning
Building safety net, understanding pension schemes, planning for old age without formal employment.

in their own words

Kamala Devi (45)
"I was keeping cash under my mattress for 20 years. Lost ₹8,000 to theft once. Now I have a bank account and saved ₹15,200 in 3 months. I get interest! I opened account for my daughter too."
Radha Sharma (38)
"I didn't know about Ayushman Bharat health insurance. Last year I paid ₹25,000 for my son's surgery. Now I'm enrolled—it's FREE! This class changed everything for my family."
Lakshmi Bai (52)
"A man came to our area offering 'business opportunity' - give ₹5,000, get ₹15,000 back. I almost fell for it. Thanks to the fraud awareness session, I recognized it as a scam and saved my money."

Key Features

Simple Language

No financial jargon. Teach in Hindi/local language with real-life examples.

Practical Sessions

Field trips to banks, filling forms together, hands-on ATM practice.

Government Schemes

Help enroll in Ayushman Bharat, PM-SBY, other benefits they qualify for.

Ongoing Support

WhatsApp group for questions, monthly follow-ups, personal assistance.

Program Design

Needs Assessment

Interviewed 10 women to understand challenges: fear of banks, illiteracy barriers, scam experiences, no emergency savings. Designed curriculum around their specific needs.

Accessible Teaching

Sunday 2-3 PM (their free time). In community hall, not classroom. Visual aids, role-playing, minimal writing. Provide snacks—made it social and welcoming.

Action-Oriented

Every session ends with specific action. Week 1: Everyone fills out bank account forms. We help with paperwork, go to bank together. Learn by doing, not just listening.

Building Trust

Some were skeptical ("banks are for rich people"). Brought bank manager for Q&A. Shared my family's banking stories. Built confidence slowly through small wins.

Want to Build Something Similar?

Every great project starts with a personal problem. What's yours?

Get Started