In most Indian households, especially in economically weaker sections. Men control the finances, including access to the bank account. As a result, women don’t have financial equality and have accepted their role to not be financially active or independent.

Ujjivan Small Finance Bank champions the financially unserved and underserved. And wanted to intervene in a culturally relevant manner to drive change so that women could have financial equality.

Ujjivan Small Finance Bank champions the financially unserved and underserved. And wanted to intervene in a culturally relevant manner to drive change so that women could have financial equality.

Indian marriages are attended by thousands of guests. Traditionally, most of these guests come bearing cash gifts, called a ‘Shagun’.

As per tradition, the Shagun is never a round figure and is always accompanied by a 1 rupee coin as this signifies prosperity and continuity for the couple.

Before gifting their Shagun to the newly-weds, guests put it in specially-designed envelopes or ‘Shagun Ka Lifafa’ - which for convenience already have a one rupee coin attached.

We wanted to reimagine this culturally relevant device and make it bring financial equality to the women of India.

Our eureka moment was using the age-old lifafa as an account opening form. What’s more women could open an account with just that one rupee coin.

Ujjivan Small finance bank champions the financially unserved and underserved saw an opportunity to intervene at the most effective point, the weddings themselves. By having these Shagun ka lifafas which were account opening forms finding their way to weddings across India, we were solving the problem of financial inequality at the wedding itself. It was the perfect opportunity for women to start their next chapter of their lives as financial equals.

The shagun ka lifafas were converted to account forms but on the surface still resembled traditional lifas, with designs that were popular across India. We placed them in places where traditional shagun ka lifafas where always available. In locations such as stationary shops, gifting stores, outside wedding venues, general stores etc. They organically made their way to newly-wed women and ensured financial equality.

The Shagun ka lifafas made their way to weddings across India, empowering 2,32,000 women towards financial equality. They organically made their way to weddings and it was simple and effortless for women to open a bank account using the lifafa as a form.