ICICI

For more than six years now, ICICI Bank, through its Microfinance Practice of the Social Initiative Group (MFSIG) has identified and supported initiatives designed to improve access to financial services for the poorest of the poor. Despite the success of these efforts, some specific vulnerable communities like the tribals and migrants are yet to be included in these successful programmes. The recently constituted Centre for Universal Financial Inclusion (CUFI) in Chennai supported by ICICI Bank, will now address the needs of these neglected groups.

Scope of work

Supporting initiatives that meet objectives of CUFI:

CUFI will support models, strategies and projects that seek innovative solutions for financial inclusion of vulnerable sections of society, particularly those living in underserved geographies.

Support policy and practice oriented research:

CUFI will actively engage with its partners on the ground to understand the determinants and processes that have precluded the reach of financial services to the poorest segment and underserved geographies. It will evaluate and analyse the effectiveness of intervention in terms of processes and outcomes and also, test the effectiveness of varied interventions in different contexts to gauge their validity

Support dissemination and advocacy

CUFI will disseminate its findings and of others in the field to a broad spectrum of participants through workshops, seminars, publications and media such as print, visual and internet.