Aawaaz: Every Voice Counts

TEAM: Sai Pranav Gandhi, Vedant Abhyankar, Arya Bhandare

We have noticed that the people who help us in our daily lives like the maids, drivers, watchmen and utility services staff face financial instability to money and are forced to rely on help from their employers. We researched to find out that the Government actually provides many schemes for the benefit of such workers from the unorganized sector, but they are often not aware of these schemes.

So we decided to first list out the challenges faced by them:

  1. Lack of financial literacy
  2. Lack of information on Central Govt Schemes
  3. Lack of information on various investment options
  4. Zero to Negligible surplus income
  5. Lack of time to complete Govt procedures for availing Govt Schemes
  6. Absence of documents needed to apply for Govt schemes
  7. Lack of personal advisor to address queries
  8. Employers not providing help in financial planning like in case of formal sector

So we decided to build an app that can address these challenges. We decided to name our app as AAWAAZ as it provides a voice to the needy who otherwise remain unheard.

Since we noticed that our target group members are mostly illiterate and do not have access to tools of financial literacy, we have come up with an interesting innovation of using student volunteers to communicate with them, recognize their needs and guide them on their path to financial security.

The main features of the app are

  • Easily accessible information about financial inclusion
  • Financial Literacy Module for Student Volunteers 
  • Identification of suitable Govt schemes

Target Group

  • House maids 
  • Drivers
  • Security Guards 
  • Utility Services Staff

The following topics are covered in the Financial Literacy Module that Aawaaz student volunteers have to master by reading the content, watching the videos and answering the quiz:

  1. Assets and Liabilities
  2. Smart Financial Goals
  3. Curbing Expenditure and Disposable Income 
  4. Importance of Bank Accounts and types of accounts 
  5. Equities, Stocks and Share Market 
  6. Mutual Funds 
  7. Insurance 

Another highlight of the app is that it has comprehensive information about the following Government Schemes identified specifically for our Target Group

  • Atal Pension Yojana
  • Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana
  • Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maan-dhan (PM-SYM) 
  • Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY)
  • Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana(PMJAY) or Ayushman Bharat Yojana
  • Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bhima Yojana (PMJJBY)
  • Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bhima Yojana (PMSBY)

Presently, the app only provides information about Government schemes. We intend to work further on automatically linking the Government schemes to the target group beneficiaries based on the data points gathered through a questionnaire for a Target Group survey. Based on the data, the app will automatically assess the eligibility of a particular scheme for a needy citizen. The app will also provide a ready reckoner of the documents required and the process of application, so that the Aawaaz volunteers will then be able to reach out to the potential beneficiaries and hand-hold them till they are enrolled.

We have noticed that the people who help us in our daily lives like the maids, drivers, watchmen and utility services staff face financial instability to money and are forced to rely on help from their employers. We researched to find out that the Government actually provides many schemes for the benefit of such workers from the unorganized sector, but they are often not aware of these schemes.

So we decided to first list out the challenges faced by them:

  1. Lack of financial literacy
  2. Lack of information on Central Govt Schemes
  3. Lack of information on various investment options
  4. Zero to Negligible surplus income
  5. Lack of time to complete Govt procedures for availing Govt Schemes
  6. Absence of documents needed to apply for Govt schemes
  7. Lack of personal advisor to address queries
  8. Employers not providing help in financial planning like in case of formal sector

So we decided to build an app that can address these challenges. We decided to name our app as AAWAAZ as it provides a voice to the needy who otherwise remain unheard.

Since we noticed that our target group members are mostly illiterate and do not have access to tools of financial literacy, we have come up with an interesting innovation of using student volunteers to communicate with them, recognize their needs and guide them on their path to financial security.

The main features of the app are

  • Easily accessible information about financial inclusion
  • Financial Literacy Module for Student Volunteers 
  • Identification of suitable Govt schemes

Target Group

  • House maids 
  • Drivers
  • Security Guards 
  • Utility Services Staff

The following topics are covered in the Financial Literacy Module that Aawaaz student volunteers have to master by reading the content, watching the videos and answering the quiz:

  1. Assets and Liabilities
  2. Smart Financial Goals
  3. Curbing Expenditure and Disposable Income 
  4. Importance of Bank Accounts and types of accounts 
  5. Equities, Stocks and Share Market 
  6. Mutual Funds 
  7. Insurance 

Another highlight of the app is that it has comprehensive information about the following Government Schemes identified specifically for our Target Group

  • Atal Pension Yojana
  • Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana
  • Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maan-dhan (PM-SYM) 
  • Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY)
  • Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana(PMJAY) or Ayushman Bharat Yojana
  • Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bhima Yojana (PMJJBY)
  • Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bhima Yojana (PMSBY)

Presently, the app only provides information about Government schemes. We intend to work further on automatically linking the Government schemes to the target group beneficiaries based on the data points gathered through a questionnaire for a Target Group survey. Based on the data, the app will automatically assess the eligibility of a particular scheme for a needy citizen. The app will also provide a ready reckoner of the documents required and the process of application, so that the Aawaaz volunteers will then be able to reach out to the potential beneficiaries and hand-hold them till they are enrolled.

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