Financial Well-being and Social Protection

This learning note highlights insights from Catalyst’s initiative to promote digital financial inclusion in a low-income cluster in Jaipur. The intervention included using illustrated comic books to spread awareness and encourage adoption of digital payment solutions among people.

This report presents insights on the financial behaviours and characteristics of low-income households, based on primary research undertaken in Jaipur. Drawing on Catalyst’s research and operational experience, the report recommends potential business models for serving low-income urban clusters sustainably.

Flexible microfinance contracts can help borrowers mitigate the negative effects of income fluctuations. But the additional liquidity repayment flexibility entails can increase default. Can this risk be mitigated by using contract price as a screening mechanism? The authors implement a … Read More

Digitisation in the processes followed by Self-Help Groups (SHGs) can have significant streamlining effects. This report highlights the current initiatives undertaken within the technology space and maps the trajectory of digitisation that various promoting agencies have followed. It further identifies … Read More

This brief captures insights from an awareness generation and training program for MFI clients. The publication was developed as part of a multi-year capacity building program undertaken by LEAD and Sa-Dhan (Association of Community Development Finance Institutions), with assistance from … Read More

This field story highlights barriers to the adoption of mobile point-of-sale machines by small merchants, drawing insights from Catalyst’s feet-on-street drive to promote PoS adoption in Jaipur.

This note discusses learnings and insights from Catalyst’s pilot UPI awareness and activation campaign, followed by insights from a feedback survey that was conducted in March 2018. It provides an analytical perspective on the features that work in favour of … Read More

Lack of affordable credit from formal sources is a key factor hindering the growth of MSMEs in India. This learning note presents insights from Catalyst’s ‘Credit as a Hook’ pilot project. The pilot tested a digital payment and loan product … Read More

This primer provides information on different types of card payment solutions available for merchants, and highlights the features and benefits of each solution.

This infographic illustrates the benefits of digital payment transactions.