Gates Foundation India

Official India account of Gates Foundation. We work with India’s governments and partners to reduce inequity and eradicate disease.

[Gates Foundation India @GatesIndia]

2 years. Over 200 women, reaching 164 villages.
What unfolded is a story of confidence and agency that transformed livelihoods.

Watch to learn more!

Connected For Change – Empowered Women. Stronger Communities.

[Gates Foundation India @GatesIndia]

As India's economy rapidly progresses, 10 crore women across Self-Help Groups are building the capabilities needed to grow with it.

Today, more women are stepping into entrepreneurship with the confidence to make decisions, adopt new technologies, reach wider markets, and turn small ventures into thriving enterprises that create value far beyond their communities.

#ConnectedForChange – Empowered Women. Stronger Communities.

[Gates Foundation India @GatesIndia]

We are proud to partner with Reliance Foundation on the #SheConnects Digital Accelerator: India. Congratulations to the six selected organizations whose solutions will help advance meaningful digital inclusion for nearly one million women across India. We look forward to supporting innovation that expands opportunities, agency and livelihoods for women and girls.

#SheConnectsDigitalAcceleratorIndia #DigitalInclusion #WomenEmpowerment

[Reliance Industries Limited @RIL_Updates]

Media Release - Reliance Foundation and Gates Foundation advance scalable solutions for one million women; announce first-round winners of ‘SheConnects Digital Accelerator: India’

Round Two Funding Call Opens for Indian non-profits

- Six grantees selected in the first round will reach nearly one million women over 15 – 18 months with scalable digital solutions spanning health, livelihoods, and public education to reduce the gender digital divide.

- Round 2 ‘Request for Applications’ is open, inviting Indian non-profits to apply for funding of up to INR 4.2 crore to scale high-impact, replication-ready digital solutions

New Delhi, July 16, 2026: The SheConnects Digital Accelerator a joint initiative of Reliance Foundation and Gates Foundation, marked two major milestones in India with the announcement of the six non-profit organisations selected in Round 1, who will together reach nearly one million women, and the launch Request for Applications for the next round of grants.

The announcements were made in Delhi on Wednesday, bringing key stakeholders from government, academia, philanthropic, civil society, and technology ecosystems.

The SheConnects Digital Accelerator: India, aims to advance women’s digital inclusion by scaling proven, high-impact solutions that enable women and girls to participate fully in the digital world, improving their lives and livelihoods. The Accelerator aims to catalyse innovative partnerships, strengthen evidence on what works, foster south-to-south learning, and help shape a more inclusive digital ecosystem. GSMA Foundation will support selected awardees in India with capacity-building bootcamps and peer-to-peer learning, alongside technical support to enhance effectiveness and efficiency of the digital solutions and programmes that awardees are creating for women.

Speaking at the event, Ms Deepthi Reddy, Chief – Women Empowerment, Reliance Foundation, detailed the Accelerator's vision for India and officially announced the opening of Round 2. "Empowering women with tools and confidence to participate fully in the digital world is essential to a more equitable future. When empowered women are at the centre, they drive more than their own journey and catalyse transformation in society. At Reliance Foundation, it has been our long-standing commitment to identify and encourage scale-up of transformative solutions. We are excited to welcome the first cohort of our valuable partners who bring unique ideas for driving this mission forward together," she said.

Ms Saachi Bhalla, Deputy Director – Gender Equality, Gates Foundation, added perspectives from the Gates Foundation. “The SheConnects Digital Accelerator represents an important opportunity for non-profit organizations to develop and scale solutions that advance women’s meaningful digital inclusion, while generating practical evidence that can inform efforts across India and the Global South. Ultimately, the success of digital transformation will not be measured by the sophistication of our technologies, but by whether they improve people’s lives. Through the SheConnects Digital Accelerator, we have an opportunity to ensure that innovation is both inclusive and impactful,” she said.

Following a rigorous evaluation process, six non-profit organizations were selected for the inaugural round of grants with a collective commitment of INR 25.84 crore for this round, to deploy evidence-based digital solutions across India. In total, the Round 1 portfolio is projected to impact nearly one million individuals.

[Gates Foundation India @GatesIndia]

Turns out, AI has a pretty impressive resume. And its best qualification is the lasting change it helps people make every day.

We believe AI works best when it strengthens people and public systems. That's why we support the responsible use of AI to solve real-world challenges and help improve health, agriculture, nutrition and other areas where better decisions can create better outcomes.

Happy AI Appreciation Day.

#AIAppreciationDay

[Gates Foundation India @GatesIndia]

What do bricks, roots, threads, and Self-Help Groups have in common? They all help build something bigger than themselves.

Across India, we're working with governments and partners to strengthen the Self-Help Group ecosystem, expanding access to skills and creating opportunities so more women can build sustainable livelihoods and stronger communities.

#ConnectedForChange – Empowered Women. Stronger Communities.

[Gates Foundation India @GatesIndia]

We are proud to partner with @NABARDOnline in building the institutions, digital infrastructure, and financing systems needed to support climate adaptation for India's smallholder farmers. From climate finance and AI-enabled risk assessment to digital public infrastructure, our collaboration is focused on helping make climate intelligence more accessible, actionable, and impactful across rural India.

[Gates Foundation India @GatesIndia]

“How do I open a bank account?”
“Can I get a loan?”
“Will this QR code really work?”

For women in Musabani, the answers to all these questions often come from the same person.

Meet Papiya, a Community Anchor with JSLPS (Jharkhand State Livelihood Promotion Society), who helps women navigate banking, digital payments, and financial services with confidence.

Watch the video to know her story.

Connected For Change – Empowered Women. Stronger Communities.

[Gates Foundation India @GatesIndia]

We are proud to work alongside governments and partners to strengthen the Self-Help Group ecosystem - helping more women access the skills, markets, and digital opportunities they need to build sustainable livelihoods and contribute to India's economic progress.

#ConnectedForChange – Empowered Women. Stronger Communities.

[Gates Foundation India @GatesIndia]

Over 8.62 crore women in India’s Self-Help Groups now have a digital storefront. Platforms like eSARAS, the official online marketplace of DAY-NRLM, are making this possible, helping women showcase their products beyond the boundaries of their villages.

[Gates Foundation India @GatesIndia]

Greater market access means higher sales, leading to higher revenues and improved livelihoods. It helps women entrepreneurs build sustainable businesses, create local employment, and strengthen rural economies.

[Global Development Network @GDNint]

📢 Call for Research Teams: Building the Economics of Open Transaction Networks

GDN invites research teams based in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs) to apply for the Building the Economics of Open Transaction Networks research programme, supported by @gatesfoundation. Six selected teams will each receive USD 50,000 to conduct research on the economics of Open Transaction Networks (OTNs), with preference given to studies on the Beckn Protocol in Brazil, India, and Kenya. Selected teams will also receive strategic and technical guidance from GDN's Global Scientific Advisory Committee.

Learn more and apply by 21 August 2026: https://t.co/k7Ofkfk6g6

[Gates Foundation India @GatesIndia]

7 in 10 married women in India use family planning methods.

Behind that number is a basket of choices — including condoms, pills, IUCDs and injectables — that empowers women and couples to make informed decisions, supporting healthy birth spacing, safer pregnancies, and better health outcomes for mothers and babies.

#WorldPopulationDay

[Gates Foundation India @GatesIndia]

Shashibala joined a Self-Help Group with one goal: to build a more secure future for her four daughters. What followed was a journey from a small tea business to running her own snack enterprise and creating opportunities for other women along the way.

Her story shows how the right support, access to finance, and the strength of a collective can help an idea grow into reality.

Connected For Change – Empowered Women. Stronger Communities.

[Gates Foundation India @GatesIndia]

Women's financial inclusion is built through many small steps, from access to banking and financial knowledge to digital skills and community support.
Across rural India, Self Help Groups are helping women take these steps, enabling more women to participate in the formal financial system.

#ConnectedForChange - Empowered Women. Stronger Communities.

[Gates Foundation India @GatesIndia]

If you had to pick just one, which of these do you think matters most for women's financial inclusion?

[Gates Foundation India @GatesIndia]

Not long ago, for Soni in Mirzapur, UP, even a trip to the bank meant losing time, money, and a whole day’s income.

Today, her story reflects what's possible when women have access to the right knowledge, financial tools, and opportunities.

Watch her story.

Connected For Change - Empowered Women. Stronger Communities.

[Gates Foundation India @GatesIndia]

A Sakhi is someone you can count on.

Across rural India, women from Self Help Groups are trained to become Sakhis, taking on specialised roles that help other women learn new skills, access essential services, and build stronger livelihoods. In doing so, they become trusted guides, mentors, and pillars of support within their communities.

As Krishi Sakhis, Pashu Sakhis, BC Sakhis, and several other Sakhi cadres, they are showing what happens when women are equipped to support other women.

Connected For Change – Empowered Women. Stronger Communities.

[Gates Foundation India @GatesIndia]

करोड़ों महिलाओं का यह साझा प्रयास ग्रामीण भारत का भविष्य तय कर रहा है। आने वाले दिनों में हम स्वयं सहायत समूह से जुड़ी कुछ दीदियों की अनोखी कहानियों के बारे में जानेंगे। हमारे साथ जुड़े रहें!

#ConnectedForChange - Empowered Women. Stronger Communities.

[Gates Foundation India @GatesIndia]

जब ग्रामीण महिलाओं को सही मंच और अवसर मिलते हैं, तो बदलाव की रफ्तार दोगुनी हो जाती है। पिछले 30 सालों में भारत के गांवों में दुनिया का सबसे बड़ा महिला-नेतृत्व वाला नेटवर्क खड़ा हुआ है। आइए महिलाओं के नेतृत्व वाले नेटवर्क के बारे में जानते हैं।

[Gates Foundation India @GatesIndia]

इस सशक्त नेटवर्क से महिलाएं आत्मनिर्भर बन रही हैं। अब वे आत्मविश्वास के साथ अपने बिजनेस चला रही हैं, नई तकनीक सीख रही हैं और स्थानीय अर्थव्यवस्था को आगे बढ़ा रही हैं।