BHUBANESWAR: The Humara Bachpan Trust and FICCI Ladies Organisation, Bhubaneswar Chapter have launched a financial literacy programme in the State to build resilience among women living in poverty, handle difficult situation and protect them from post-pandemic financial distress.
Executive director of the Trust Arpita Pattnaik and FICCI FLO Bhubaneswar Chapter chairperson Dharitri Patnaik have conceptualised the programme to reach out to over 20,000 women in urban and rural areas through it.
Members of the Trust and FICCI FLO have so far reached out to 900 women in Bhubaneswar, Cuttack and Puri through the programme started from second week of April.
Training is being imparted to women through capsule financial literacy module, tele-calls and video calls to raise awareness among them about savings, safe way of lending and taking credit and preparing household expenditure budget to deal with the crisis situation. Apart from managing finance, awareness on maintaining hygiene to containing spread of Covid-19 is also provided through these calls.
“As women are in stress due to the present health crisis, we are giving them the message of managing expenditure, preparing household budget, savings, investment and handing debt through storytelling method. This creates a relaxing environment and helps them gather strength,” said Sushri Sangita, a certified Life Skill Trainer and Assistant City Coordinator of the Trust. It is a first-of-its-kind programme where women living in poverty in Odisha are being trained through tele-calls and webinars, she said.