AU Small Finance Bank (AU SFB), in collaboration with Magic Bus India Foundation (MBIF), is proud to announce a significant milestone in the empowerment of women entrepreneurs across Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. Under Individual Women Entrepreneurship initiative of AU Udyogini program, the bank has successfully nurtured 2,250 individual women entrepreneurs, with 320 of them receiving mentorship and training through MBIF.
To celebrate this achievement, over 100 women entrepreneurs gathered in Jaipur on Mother’s Day, to share their inspiring journeys and showcase their entrepreneurial endeavors. Jyoti Agarwal, Co-Founder of Sanjay & Jyoti Agarwal Foundation and Jayant Rastogi, Global CEO of Magic Bus India Foundation graced the event as Chief Guests and felicitated women entrepreneurs for shattering societal constraints through resilience, leadership and innovation, transforming challenges into growth opportunities and achieving financial independence as entrepreneurs.
The AU Udyogini Program is dedicated to empowering women from marginalized communities by equipping them with the skills, knowledge, and financial literacy needed to build sustainable livelihoods. Currently active across 33 districts in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh — including three aspirational districts — the program has, over the years, placed strong emphasis on capacity building through Entrepreneurship Awareness Programs (EAPs) and Entrepreneurship Development Programs (EDPs), providing consistent handholding, and ensuring long-term sustainability for women-led enterprises.
Beyond offering seed capital and training, AU Udyogini goes a step further by supporting
women in obtaining Udhyam Aadhaar registrations and connecting them to various government social welfare schemes, ensuring a truly holistic development approach.
Sanjay Agarwal, Founder, MD & CEO, AU Small Finance Bank said, “At AU Small Finance Bank, we believe that empowering women is fundamental to building resilient communities and we have been consistent in our efforts since 2018. The AU Udyogini program is a testament to our commitment to fostering entrepreneurship and financial inclusion. This strategic program is not limited to an individual entrepreneur, but it expands the ecosystem to support financial independence, self-reliance and economic diversification for women, with access to resources, training and financial literacy. Through our dedicated commitment, we have proudly supported women in establishing successful businesses across 55 diverse trades.
Jayant Rastogi, Global CEO, Magic Bus India Foundation, said, “Through our partnership with AU Small Finance Bank, we are creating pathways for women from peri-urban and rural regions to emerge as entrepreneurs and leaders within their communities. By equipping them with entrepreneurial and leadership skills, as well as access to resources, we are increasing India’s female labour force participation rate, fuelling grassroots innovation, and contributing to the vision of a Viksit Bharat. Every woman entrepreneur we empower becomes a catalyst for nation-building, driving change within her household and shaping the future of her community. When women thrive, communities thrive and ultimately, nations thrive.”