Staying true to its mission to improve the lives of the “poorest of the poor," Odisha-based Mahashakti Foundation operates in India's most impoverished districts.
Mahashakti Foundation borrowers meeting with a loan officer.
Mahashakti was founded in 2004 to take a holistic approach to improving people’s livelihoods through microfinance and development services. In addition to offering innovative microcredit products like loans for clean water and sanitation infrastructure, the organization offers life insurance and community-based health insurance programs.
The organization also encourages village-based cooperatives to facilitate savings among clients, and has implemented a number of socially-minded programs to promote sustainable livelihood and community development, fair price pharmacy services, food security and support for farmers.
Today, Mahashakti operates in six of Odisha’s poorest districts. This is significant, given that 91% of the state's population resides in villages, and 39% belongs to tribal communities where the average daily income is below US$1. Mahashakti was founded to work with these populations and empower them to address their own socio-economic, political and cultural needs.
A Mahashakti client who runs a small general store.
With each of the 25,000 poor families that Mahashakti serves, the organization carefully applies each of its core values -- including honesty, empathy, transparency, communication and candor.
Kiva lenders' flexible, patient capital will help Mahashakti's borrowers as they work toward a brighter future that includes economic independence, empowerment and peace.
Lend to one of Mahashakti's borrowers today. Or learn more about the organization on its Kiva partner profile page.
Many Mahashakti clients depend on raising livestock for a living.
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