What happens when women living on less than $1.25 a day are given not just tools, but the power to choose how to use them? The MPowered project, implemented from 2016 to 2023 across Jharkhand and Odisha, set out to answer that question—with a bold combination of economic inclusion, digital empowerment, and grassroots coaching. The result was a ripple effect of transformation that reached far beyond the 2,800 women in the program, touching families, communities, and local markets.

At its heart, MPowered applied Trickle Up’s proven Graduation Approach to building sustainable livelihoods—but added a modern twist: participants were given smartphones preloaded with a practical, locally relevant learning tool called the Package of Practice (PoP) app. That shift—from basic economic support to digital agency—did more than improve incomes. It sparked confidence, creativity, and community leadership.

Digital Agency in Action

Before MPowered, only 8% of the women participating owned a smartphone. But by putting smartphones in the hands of participants, that number soared to 61%. This opened newfound access to markets, government services, and financial tools. Nearly half of them used digital tools, like MPowered’s PoP app, regularly—some for the first time—to access knowledge, manage finances, and market their goods. This wasn’t just tech for tech’s sake; it was a lifeline to information and opportunity. In their hands, a smartphone became a storefront, a classroom, and a bank.

“Women are using smartphones to learn about kitchen gardens, improve cultivation, sell produce, and earn money. They’re using YouTube to learn new designs and stitching patterns, cooking skills, and how to use PhonePe and GooglePay to make payments,” shared a Smart Sakhi coach in Odisha. The program has enabled women to expand their market presence through effective marketing strategies on social media and WhatsApp, leading to increased sales and reach.

From Seed Grants to Sustainable Growth

MPowered ensured that women didn’t just receive mobile phones, but also got seed capital, personalized coaching, and technical training in agriculture, livestock rearing, and trade-based skills. Whether they chose to raise livestock, cultivate vegetables, or run small retail shops, women diversified their income sources and reduced their reliance on seasonal, migrant, or low-paying labor.

What had once been subsistence activities—like forest product collection—were turned into small businesses, producing income and autonomy. Self-employment increased, and migrant wage work declined in Odisha—a sign that local opportunities were becoming viable, stable alternatives.

The financial results of the program were striking, generating a 10:1 social return on investment, meaning that for every rupee invested, the program returned ten rupees in social and economic value. By the end of the project:

• 74% of women increased their income
• 98% generated savings, up from just 59% before the program
• 97% of households reported no food shortages in the past six months

With the introduction of financial literacy and awareness initiatives, the share of women with bank accounts in Jharkand leapt from 32% to 98%. In Odisha, that figure reached 100%. But the program went beyond opening accounts—it changed behaviors. Women shifted from immediately spending their income to saving for future needs, allowing them to begin planning for the future.

Coaching and Confidence Go Hand-in-Hand

MPowered didn’t just invest in phones and grants—it invested in people. Through trained community coaches known as Smart Sakhis, women received regular mentorship in digital and financial literacy, soft skills, food and nutrition, and access to government services. These coaches became role models and information conduits, sparking broader community change.

The impact of the program on confidence was profound. “After joining this program, we learned effective communication skills and gained confidence in expressing ourselves. Our fear of speaking up and going outside has diminished,” shared women during a focus group in Jharkhand. The participants were linked with self-help groups, where they worked together to cultivate savings habits, access loans at low interest rates, and build financial empowerment within the entire community, their confidence growing just as much as their skills grew.

“Some who had rarely stepped out of their homes are now making decisions for their households, actively participating in village meetings, and even explaining the concepts from meetings to their family members,” said a block coordinator from Malisira Village. With 95% of women now reporting that they feel confident making business decisions on their own, MPowered showed that economic resilience is inseparable from personal agency.

Now, MPowered’s participants actively take part in household decision-making and have the courage to work on their own. Plus, the knowledge they gained during the program created a multiplier effect, benefiting overall community income and well-being.

A Blueprint for What Works

MPowered is a compelling case for integrating digital tools into anti-poverty work, combined with trust, training, and time. Giving smartphones to women had catalytic effects only because they were paired with financial literacy, hands-on coaching, and community solidarity.

Their courage is contagious, and it’s exactly what makes a program like MPowered not just a success story, but a scalable strategy. When women are given the power to choose, learn, and lead, they don’t just change their own lives, they begin to reshape entire systems. MPowered proves that transformation begins with agency, and when women are truly empowered, everyone rises.

—————