Digital Financial Literacy Training for Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) Beneficiaries

Synopsis:

Karandaaz Pakistan contracted EY Ford Rhodes (EYFR) and Mera Maan (Pvt.) Limited (MMPL) to develop a highly interactive financial literacy manual for Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) beneficiaries. The goal was to enhance the digital financial literacy of the beneficiaries, especially those with low levels of literacy, and enable them to access and use digital financial services effectively. By promoting financial inclusion, the project aimed to empower women and support their active contribution to society.

Narrative of the Project Description:

Background:

Recognizing the urgent need to improve financial literacy among BISP beneficiaries, particularly women, the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) initiated this project to support and enhance the financial literacy ecosystem in Pakistan. Karandaaz Pakistan partnered with EY Ford Rhodes and Mera Maan to undertake the task of developing a comprehensive financial literacy training program.

Objectives:

– Conduct a thorough needs assessment through 100 FGDs and 241 one-on-one interviews to gauge the current level of financial literacy among BISP beneficiaries and identify their training needs.
– Develop a highly interactive and participatory financial literacy training module and manual tailored to the specific requirements and low literacy levels of the 9 million beneficiaries.
– Conduct pilot trainings in multiple locations to test and refine the training material, ensuring its effectiveness and suitability for the target audience.
– Train 32 master trainers from various BISP field offices to cascade the training to 1800 trainers, who would eventually disseminate the training program to 9 million BISP beneficiaries.

Project Impact:

The project made significant strides in developing a highly interactive financial literacy manual specifically designed for the low literacy levels of the 9 million BISP beneficiaries. Through a thorough needs assessment, the training module and manual were tailored to address the specific financial education requirements of the beneficiaries. Five pilot trainings were conducted in different regions, providing valuable insights for refining the training material and ensuring its efficacy. By training master trainers and equipping them to reach a large number of trainers, the project set the stage for empowering 9 million BISP beneficiaries with essential financial knowledge and skills. Ultimately, the project contributed to enhancing financial inclusion and enabling women to make informed financial decisions, thus supporting their socioeconomic progress and active involvement in society.