Supported by Mastercard, the program expands to five states and aims to empower 1 million women entrepreneurs by 2030
MUMBAI (India CSR): She Leads Bharat: Udyam (SLB:U), a Mastercard Strive initiative supported by the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth and implemented by Frontier Markets in collaboration with Airtel Payments Bank, has reached a significant milestone – empowering 100,000 women entrepreneurs across India. Focused on rural communities, the program has diversified revenue streams and unlocked income growth for women-owned small businesses, and expanded their access to essential products and services, including financial services, consumer durables and agri-inputs.
In 2023, She Leads Bharat:Udyam set out to enable 100,000 women-owned small businesses in Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh to learn how to better run their business and earn via Frontier Markets’ proprietary, flexible Meri-Saheli platform – an assisted commerce platform that enables women entrepreneurs to sell products, including agricultural inputs and consumer durables. It also allows them to provide last-mile financial services as bank correspondents and to gather valuable data on rural communities.
The impact of She Leads Bharat:Udyam has been both tangible and transformative. Women micro and small enterprises (MSEs) in the program recorded a threefold increase in income over the past six months, with those engaged for a year or longer earning an average of INR 1,300 per month through sales on the Meri Saheli platform. By expanding sales from 3 to 12 product categories, monthly sales grew nearly 25 times, enabling women entrepreneurs to attract new customers and build repeat business. Beyond financial gains, the program has strengthened women’s agency. Half of the additional income is reinvested in their businesses, while a third supports household needs. Rising incomes translated into greater respect within their families, with women gaining increased influence over financial, healthcare and education decisions.
Gautam Aggarwal, Division President, South Asia at Mastercard, said, “Empowering entrepreneurs isn’t just good for business—it’s the engine of India’s growth. With She Leads Bharat:Udyam, Mastercard is fuelling a movement: 100,000 women entrepreneurs now driving growth, innovation, and resilience in their communities. This milestone proves what’s possible when vision meets action. We’re not stopping here—our commitment is to scale opportunity, spark lasting change, and help many more women shape India’s economic destiny.”
Building on this milestone, SLB:U continues to scale and expand, expanding from two to five states, with Andhra Pradesh as the latest addition. The program is transitioning to a self-sustaining model, reducing reliance on philanthropic funding as its portfolio of products and services grows, establishing a market-driven approach for long-term impact. Additionally, women entrepreneurs now have access to working capital through returnable grants and bank financing, enabling them to build formal credit histories and further strengthen their businesses.
Subhashini Chandran, Senior Vice President, Asia Pacific, Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth, said, “She Leads Bharat:Udyam is a powerful demonstration of what’s possible when women are equipped with the right tools, networks, and financing. The entrepreneurs aren’t just building businesses, they’re strengthening communities and reshaping local economies. We’re proud to help catalyze this momentum by building ecosystems that turn opportunity into lasting, inclusive growth—especially in underserved regions where it’s needed most.”
Looking ahead, SLB:U aims to empower one million women entrepreneurs by 2030, advancing financial inclusion and creating resilient, sustainable communities across rural India. The program’s success can be attributed to the unique partnership between corporations, financial institutions and grassroots organizations. The Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth played a catalytic role in connecting these partners, helping create the conditions for scale and long-term sustainability.
Ajaita Shah, Founder and CEO, Frontier Markets, said, “Reaching 100,000 women entrepreneurs across five states is a powerful demonstration of what’s possible when multisectoral partners come together with a shared vision. With Mastercard’s catalytic support and Frontier Markets’ deep rural reach, we’re building a sustainable ecosystem that not only expands income and opportunity for women but also accelerates their integration into formal credit and commerce. This milestone lays a strong foundation to scaling this model to empower many more women across rural India.”
Mastercard Strive in India is working towards its goal of enabling 500,000 small businesses to participate in the digital economy by 2026. Globally, Mastercard Strive has supported over 19 million small businesses worldwide since 2020 by facilitating access to capital, digital tools and knowledge networks.
(India CSR)
