Women are still disproportionately excluded from the financial services that let them take control of their lives. We’re working to solve this problem, and we have a diverse team leading the charge. Get to know the women at Accion and our portfolio partners who have dedicated their careers to helping empower women on a global scale.

Megan Peterson

Latin America and The Caribbean

Crop Insurance

Delivery Channels

Financial Inclusion Strategy

Impact Investing

MSME/SME Finance

Trends

Women

Article

Women building a better future

As we strive to close the<a href="https://www.accion.org/want-to-fix-the-financial-inclusion-gender-gap-ask-better-questions/"> gender gap in access to financial services</a> and build an inclusive financial system, we’re proud to have a diverse team leading the charge. Three in five people who work at Accion are women, and at Accion Venture Lab, more than half of all full-time staff are women.

We’re highlighting some of these leaders who are working to build a more inclusive world in our <a href="https://www.accion.org/series/women-of-accion">annual blog series on the women of Accion and our partners</a>. You can learn about more <a href="https://www.accion.org/these-women-leaders-show-that-balance-is-better-part-one/">inspiring women in our previous article</a> for this series.

Here are a few of the leaders we’re proud to work with:
<h3><strong>Kshama Fernandes, Managing Director and CEO, Northern Arc</strong></h3>
<img class="alignleft wp-image-17867" src="https://content.accion.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Kshama-Fernandes_1-1024x683.jpg" alt="Kshama Fernandes" width="500" height="333" />“If a large proportion of the human population is excluded from finance, education, livelihood, medical care, etc., we will never be able to unleash our full potential as human beings. We will only be half as good, half as productive, and half as happy as we could be in a world without the gender gap. Let's strive to become a complete species!” With such a bold statement, it’s no surprise that Kshama Fernandes has committed her career to creating a more equitable world. As the managing director and CEO of Northern Arc in India, she supports companies that are serving people who have been excluded from the benefits of formal financial services, including women. She sees the effects that come when these underserved populations finally get financial services that meet their needs: “Small sums of money can make a big difference to the lives of many. As an illustration, access to a timely loan gives the ability to pay fees and to not have to pull a girl child out of school at the first indication of financial stress. It means having the liquidity to avail medical treatment in a timely manner for the bread earner so her or his family won’t be homeless. For many women, it means an opportunity to avail a dignified livelihood, and the independence and the empowerment that comes with it.”

Driving financial inclusion is a mission Kshama has embraced wholeheartedly. “Those of us who are fortunate to have had access to finance, have the responsibility to give back to the world,” she says. Whatever mission motivates you, she offers this advice for making an impact: “Don't underestimate the power you have to change the world for the better. You have your rightful place under the sun — in your families, at your workplaces, in board rooms, and in the wider financial ecosystem."
&nbsp;

These women leaders show that balance is better, part two

Northern Arc

Mastercard

Financial Inclusion Practitioner

Impact Investor

Social Good

Accion Global Advisory Solutions

Accion Global Investments

According to <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2018/11/04/female-founders-have-brought-in-just-2-2-of-us-vc-this-year-yes-again/">TechCrunch</a>, fewer than 1 in 10 people making investment decisions at venture capital firms are women, and three-quarters of these firms have zero female investors. Furthermore, there were only 24 companies with female chief executives <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/23/upshot/why-the-number-of-female-chief-executives-is-falling.html">among the Fortune 500 in 2018</a>. There’s a long way to go before we reach gender parity in most industries and societies throughout the world, but it’s crucial that we continue to champion women because, as the slogan for International Women’s Day 2019 points out, balance is better.

Having diverse leadership helps companies increase their understanding of their customers, so they can perform better financially. For businesses focused on social good, this can also translate to making a greater impact. When it comes to financial inclusion, we need women in power as we work to overcome the <a href="https://globalfindex.worldbank.org/">persistent gender gap</a> in access to financial services and ensure that all women have useful financial tools that can help them gain independence and seize more opportunities.

As we strive to close this gap and build an inclusive financial system, we’re proud to have a diverse team leading the charge. Three in five people who work at Accion are women, and at Accion Venture Lab, more than half of all full-time staff are women.

We’re highlighting some of these leaders who are working to build a more inclusive world in our <a href="https://www.accion.org/series/women-of-accion">annual International Women’s Day blog series on the women of Accion and our partners</a>. Check out <a href="https://www.accion.org/these-women-leaders-show-that-balance-is-better-part-two/">this additional article</a> to learn about more inspiring women.

Here are a few of the leaders we’re proud to work with:

These women leaders show that balance is better, part one

Pula

Accion Venture Lab

At Accion, we’re proud to have a diverse team leading the charge as we work to tackle the problem of financial exclusion around the world.

To highlight some of the women leaders working behind the scenes to build a more inclusive and prosperous world, we’re releasing a blog series on <a href="http://www.accion.org/meet-women-leading-way-inclusive-financial-future-part-one/">the women of Accion and our partners</a>.

Here are a few of the leaders we’re proud to work with:
<h3><strong>Isabelle Barrès, Global Director, Smart Campaign</strong></h3>
<img class="alignleft wp-image-8245 size-full" src="http://blogs.accion.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Isabelle-Barres.jpg" alt="Women Leaders: Isabelle Barrès, Global Director, Smart Campaign" width="500" height="500" />Isabelle Barrès always knew she wanted to have a career with a social purpose. She decided to work in international development because of the urgent need to eliminate global poverty. Eventually, her career path led her to financial inclusion, and she’s spent the past two decades tackling the issue from various angles. In her role at the <a href="https://www.smartcampaign.org/">Smart Campaign</a>, she works with a wide range of actors to ensure that inclusive financial services are delivered responsibly and add value for consumers. “Financial inclusion is not about merely providing access to financial services or even making sure that these services are used. It is about having a positive impact on people’s lives, improving their financial health, and opening opportunities that they would otherwise not have had,” says Isabelle. She offers this advice to those who want to dedicate their lives to making a positive change in the world: “Do not be afraid to get out of your comfort zone. Be willing to revisit and test your assumptions. Don’t be wedded to one approach or perspective but always be open to learning from as many different people as possible. Reducing poverty is a complex issue that will require a wide range of innovative solutions and a lot of collaboration, both within the financial inclusion sector and with other sectors.” Isabelle adds, “Make sure that in your busy life you keep some space to think and reflect!”

&nbsp;
<h3><strong>Gowri Mukherjee, Co-Founder and CMO, CreditMantri</strong></h3>
<img class="alignleft wp-image-8244 size-full" src="http://blogs.accion.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Screen-Shot-2018-03-14-at-3.49.40-PM.jpg" alt="Women Leaders: Gowri Mukherjee, Co-Founder and CMO, CreditMantri" width="500" height="500" />“Be sincere, work hard, learn continuously, challenge yourself and the status-quo, and you’ll definitely see the impact,” says Gowri Mukherjee. Trust her — she knows all about making an impact. Gowri co-founded <a href="https://www.creditmantri.com/">CreditMantri</a> to help people learn about their credit scores and improve their financial health. In India, access to credit is crucial for lifting people out of poverty and offering them stability and a chance to thrive. “Seeing that many lack awareness of even what a credit report looks like, I felt there was a huge opportunity to make a difference,” says Gowri. CreditMantri uses an automated web platform and call center to help consumers easily access their credit reports, understand their credit scores, improve their creditworthiness, restructure outstanding debt, and get access to relevant products and services from lenders and financial institutions. With this accessible approach, CreditMantri has been able to serve more than 5 million customers, giving them a chance to build a better credit score and a better life.

&nbsp;
<h3><strong>Amy Stewart, Manager, Global Advisory Solutions at Accion</strong><strong> </strong></h3>
<img class="alignleft wp-image-11215 size-full" src="https://content.accion.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/IMG_2925_blog.jpg" alt="" width="480" height="480" />

“Financial inclusion isn’t charity — it’s fixing something that’s broken,” says Amy Stewart. “Well-designed financial systems can and should sustainably serve people across the economic spectrum — providing them with the tools they need to live their lives.” Low-cost digital tools are helping to realize this vision, and in her role at Accion, Amy is helping financial service providers across the globe tap into the power of digitization to reach more people than ever before. In addition to her advisory role, she helps translate insights from our advisory work into knowledge products and strategies. The resources that she develops, like our upcoming <a href="http://www.accion.org/rapidly-changing-landscape-digital-lending/">digital lending</a> guide, support our partner institutions and inform the industry. Amy’s also interested in guiding future leaders who want their career to promote social good. “Be open to experiences, people, and opportunities that you may not have considered — the path to impact isn’t linear,’ she says. “Proactively actively seek opportunities to gain new experience and improve the status quo. Don’t be afraid to speak up and ask why things are done a certain way.”

Read <a href="http://www.accion.org/meet-women-leading-way-inclusive-financial-future-part-one/">part one</a>, <a href="http://www.accion.org/women-in-leadership-inclusive-financial-future%e2%80%8a-%e2%80%8apart-two/">part two</a>, <a href="http://www.accion.org/women-working-in-financial-inclusion-part-three/">part three</a>, and <a href="http://www.accion.org/meet-the-women-leading-the-way-to-an-inclusive-future-part-four/">part four</a> to learn about more inspiring women leaders who are breaking barriers and building a more inclusive financial system.
<p class="graf graf--p"><a class="markup--anchor markup--p-anchor" href="http://emarketing.accion.org/page/s/get-updates" target="_blank" rel="nofollow nofollow nofollow nofollow nofollow nofollow nofollow noopener noreferrer"><em class="markup--em markup--p-em">Subscribe to our newsletter</em></a><em class="markup--em markup--p-em"> to receive stories, podcasts, updates on new Accion initiatives, and more.</em></p>

Meet the women leading the way to an inclusive future — part five

CreditMantri

The Smart Campaign

At Accion, we’re proud to have a diverse team leading the charge as we work to tackle the problem of financial exclusion around the world.

To highlight some of the women working behind the scenes to build a more inclusive and prosperous world, we’re releasing a blog series on <a href="http://www.accion.org/meet-women-leading-way-inclusive-financial-future-part-one/">the women of Accion and our partners</a>.

Here are a few of the leaders we’re proud to work with:
<h3><strong>Maria Alejandra Gonzalez, Head of Growth, Tienda Pago</strong></h3>
<img class="size-full wp-image-8227 alignnone" src="http://blogs.accion.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/TIENDA-PAGO-27.jpg" alt="Maria Alejandra Gonzalez, Head of Growth, Tienda Pago" width="600" height="450" />

In her role at <a href="http://www.tiendapago.com/en/">Tienda Pago</a>, Maria Alejandra Gonzalez makes it her mission to improve small retailers' lives through <a href="http://www.accion.org/technology-helps-fund-small-businesses-latin-america/">innovative financial solutions</a> in Mexico and Peru. She has seen firsthand how access to financial services can provide social mobility and opportunities. “Fintech for inclusion has allowed me to combine my two passions: creating solutions centered on a deep understanding of users' needs and context, and truly impacting peoples' quality of life,” says Maria Alejandra. This is true at Tienda Pago, where she works on designing and delivering products and experiences that make it easier for shop owners to keep their shelves stocked and support their families. It's not always easy to make a lasting impact in your career, but Maria Alejandra offers up a three-step plan to get started: “Identify what type of problem you want to help solve, find a team that is equally passionate about solving it, and get to it!”

<strong> </strong>
<h3><strong>Sonja Kelly, Director of Research, The Center for Financial Inclusion at Accion</strong></h3>
<img class="alignleft wp-image-8228 size-full" src="http://blogs.accion.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/fullsizeoutput_123-color-blog.jpg" alt="Sonja Kelly, Director of Research, The Center for Financial Inclusion at Accion" width="450" height="600" />

Sonja Kelly was inspired to make finance work better for low-income people by her first job after college. While traveling the world showcasing the work of microfinance to donors and investors, Sonja was moved by the care that these financial institutions had for their customers. Several jobs and one Ph.D. later, Sonja says, “I’m still driven by this desire to improve the ability of financial institutions to make products work better for clients—bettering their lives.” Working on financial health at <a href="http://www.centerforfinancialinclusion.org/">the Center for Financial Inclusion at Accion</a> has given her a renewed focus on how financial products affect customers’ lives. She wants to make sure people can be more resilient and able to take advantage of opportunities. She believes anyone can join her in <a href="http://www.accion.org/why-we-care-about-the-sdgs-and-what-were-doing-about-it/">building a financially inclusive world</a> if they play to their strengths. “Make sure you bring something to the table,” says Sonja. “We need thoughtful global citizens, yes, but we also need people who understand risk modeling or complex data analysis or crafting a business case. Developing your expertise will help you to succeed beyond the limits of optimism and enthusiasm.”

&nbsp;
<h3><strong>Peace Osangir, COO, Kopo Kopo</strong></h3>
<img class="size-full wp-image-8229 alignleft" src="http://blogs.accion.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Peace-Headshot-blog.jpg" alt="Peace Osangir, COO, Kopo Kopo" width="450" height="600" />

“Every day you are presented with opportunities to make a difference. Every hurdle that you encounter is a call to step up and be counted,” says Peace Osangir. For women who want to make an impact, she recommends embracing each challenge: “use it as an inspiration to develop practical solutions from your unique perspective as a woman.” As Chief Operating Officer of <a href="http://kopokopo.co.ke/">Kopo Kopo</a>, she knows all about challenges and impact. Kopo Kopo makes it easier for <a href="http://www.accion.org/kopo-kopo-mobile-money-kenya/">small businesses to accept mobile money</a> from customers to purchase goods and services in Kenya, Tanzania, and Rwanda. Peace initially stumbled into the fintech for inclusion space through her work in big data analytics. She gained an appreciation for financial inclusion because she saw the power of data and technology to serve the unbanked and underbanked populations in Kenya and Tanzania. And she realized that once people were economically empowered, they could build a better future for themselves, their communities, and even their countries. Understanding this potential inspired Peace to seek more opportunities that would go beyond financial inclusion at an individual level to economic inclusion at a business level. The effects of her work at Kopo Kopo inspire her to keep pushing forward: “The success stories that I continue to hear every day from our customers give me the assurance that I am making a difference in my small sphere of influence and continue to motivate me to innovate in this space.”

&nbsp;
<h3><strong>Victoria White, Managing Director, Global Advisory Solutions at Accion</strong></h3>
<img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-8230" src="http://blogs.accion.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/IMG_4341-blog.jpg" alt="Victoria White, Managing Director, Global Advisory Solutions at Accion " width="600" height="450" />

Victoria White first became familiar with the barriers women face in accessing financial services during a grad school internship with the US State Department in Benin. She spent a good part of that summer talking to women business owners in Cotonou, which opened her eyes to the innovative models that could help serve people who had no access to formal financial services. That experience was pivotal to Victoria, stimulating an interest in microcredit and its potential to provide opportunity to families and communities, which ultimately led her to her work with Accion. Today, she serves as a member of Accion’s senior management team and holds responsibility for overseeing our advisory support to our partners throughout Asia, Africa, and Latin America. She also serves as a board director for a number of these partner institutions. For women who strive to be leaders in financial inclusion, Victoria says, “go big now. Don’t be afraid to take risks to make a difference in whatever area you find your passion.” She also stresses the importance of understanding your strengths and finding the right fit for you. “Impact can be made in so many different ways. What I find so stimulating about the financial inclusion industry today is that it draws from so many different areas of expertise,” she says. “The industry is open to so many different entry points, so many perspectives, and so many paths. Be intentional in charting your own, unique path. There are so many different combinations of passion, talent, and capability that are needed to build a better world, through financial services and beyond.”

&nbsp;

Read <a href="http://www.accion.org/meet-women-leading-way-inclusive-financial-future-part-one/">part one</a>, <a href="http://www.accion.org/women-in-leadership-inclusive-financial-future%e2%80%8a-%e2%80%8apart-two/">part two</a>, and <a href="http://www.accion.org/women-working-in-financial-inclusion-part-three/">part three</a> to learn about more inspiring women who are breaking barriers and building a more inclusive financial system.

Meet the women leading the way to an inclusive future — part four

Kopo Kopo

Tienda Pago

<p class="graf graf--p">At Accion, we’re proud to have a diverse team leading the charge as we work to tackle the problem of financial exclusion around the world.</p>
<p class="graf graf--p">To highlight some of the women working behind the scenes to build a more inclusive and prosperous world, we’re releasing a blog series on <a class="markup--anchor markup--p-anchor" href="http://www.accion.org/meet-women-leading-way-inclusive-financial-future-part-one/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">the women of Accion and our partners</a>.</p>
<p class="graf graf--p">Here are a few of the leaders we’re proud to work with:</p>

<h3 class="graf graf--p"><strong class="markup--strong markup--p-strong">Monica Brand Engel, Partner, Quona Capital</strong></h3>
<p class="graf graf--p graf--startsWithDoubleQuote"><img class="alignleft wp-image-8205" src="http://blogs.accion.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/monica-photo_blog-768x1024.jpg" alt="Monica Brand of Quona Capital is one of the women working in financial inclusion for Accion and our partners" width="450" height="600" />“I’m half-Peruvian, and my multi-ethnic, multi-denominational upbringing instilled in me a deep appreciation of the threads in our society that sometimes get overlooked,” says Monica Brand. She’s worked in financial inclusion for her entire career because she views it as “a powerful way to give agency to those who have been marginalized or underserved and provide tools for them to meaningfully improve their lives.” She’s also a pragmatist who believes deeply in the power of markets to generate change. These beliefs have been a driving force for her throughout her career. Before co-founding <a href="https://quona.com/">Quona Capital</a>, Monica was the founder and managing director of Accion’s Frontier Investments Group, supporting inclusive financial companies as they grow and become more established. For Monica, being a strong leader has been about weaving together seemingly disparate threads — like her work in inclusion. Early in her career, she found that leadership traits that are often characterized as “masculine” — being assertive, outspoken, confident, logical — made her successful. But as she’s advanced professionally, she sees that her traits that may be labeled as “feminine” — empathy, patience, vulnerability, intuition — are most critical to her success as a leader. For women who want to lead the charge and make an impact, she offers this advice: “Look for mentors whose leadership style you respect, and spend time introspectively finding your own voice and special super power(s).”</p>

<h3 class="graf graf--p"><strong class="markup--strong markup--p-strong">Sharlene Brown, Executive Director, Partnership for Responsible Financial Inclusion</strong></h3>
<p class="graf graf--p"><img class="alignnone wp-image-8206" src="http://blogs.accion.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/SB-in-Uganda2_blog-1024x768.jpg" alt="Sharlene Brown of the Partnership for Responsible Financial Inclusion is one of the women working in financial inclusion for Accion and our partners" width="800" height="600" />Sharlene Brown’s journey, and that of her mother, sisters, and grandmother, remind her every day what women and their families can achieve when a woman gains access to work, health care, education, and other opportunities. Born in Jamaica and raised in New York, Sharlene knows women “back home” who continue to struggle to find regular employment, pay school fees, and have access to running water. “My commitment to financial inclusion is because of my very personal knowledge of these realities — be it in Jamaica or elsewhere,” Sharlene says. She believes that other women who want to take the lead and make a difference can find strength in numbers: “Learn to network early in your career, build quality relationships, and find a good mentor.”</p>

<h3 class="graf graf--p"><strong class="markup--strong markup--p-strong">Katharine Budd, Co-Founder, NOW Money</strong></h3>
<p class="graf graf--p"><img class="alignnone wp-image-8207" src="http://blogs.accion.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/katbudd_blog-1024x768.jpg" alt="Katharine Budd of NOW Money is one of the women working in financial inclusion for Accion and our partners" width="800" height="600" />Katharine Budd is a problem solver. When she was working in consumer finance in the Gulf, she saw how few people were able to access formal financial services in an area where 7 in 10 residents earn less than $1,000 a month. However, since 98 percent of people carry smartphones, Katharine also saw a solution. She co-founded <a class="markup--anchor markup--p-anchor" href="http://nowmoney.me/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">NOW Money</a> in hopes that the digital platform would give people the opportunity to manage their money. Customers can operate their account from a smartphone to <a class="markup--anchor markup--p-anchor" href="http://www.accion.org/invested-in-now-money/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">remit money overseas</a>, as well as buy phone credit and pay bills. One key factor in NOW Money’s success is its diverse team. “The NOW Money team is small, but spans six nationalities and seven languages,” says Katharine. Without a single dominant group, there’s less likelihood of particular cultural biases or traits establishing themselves in the company, she says, and instead, employees can focus on building the company’s own personality.</p>

<h3 class="graf graf--p"><strong class="markup--strong markup--p-strong">Amee Parbhoo, Director of Investments, Accion Venture Lab</strong></h3>
<p class="graf graf--p"><img class="alignleft wp-image-8208" src="http://blogs.accion.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/amee_blog-768x1024.jpg" alt="Amee Parbhoo of Accion Venture Lab is one of the women working in financial inclusion for Accion and our partners" width="450" height="600" />Tech is transforming our world, and Amee Parbhoo works to harness that power for good. “I have worked with fintech for inclusion startups in India, Kenya, and the US and discovered that the only way we could truly scale financial inclusion is by leveraging technology,” she says. Amee’s always had an interest in companies that can help the world’s poor and turn a profit, which is why she decided to work with early-stage financial inclusion companies. She knew these companies could provide underserved communities with the financial tools and stability that would let people take control of their own lives and support themselves, their families, and their businesses. When faced with the question of how companies can tackle financial exclusion at scale, Amee saw that fintech could provide an answer. Today, Amee channels her passion for fintech and social innovation into her role supporting Accion Venture Lab’s investments globally, leading deal activity and governance in Africa, and managing new projects, including the <a class="markup--anchor markup--p-anchor" href="http://www.accion.org/extraordinary-people-needed-start-a-tech-company-to-bring-financial-services-to-all-nigerians/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Company Builder</a> initiative. In this position, she gets to know the fintech startup landscape all around the world — knowledge she can use to predict the coming <a class="markup--anchor markup--p-anchor" href="http://www.accion.org/7-fintech-trends-to-watch-in-2018/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">trends in fintech for inclusion</a>. One unfortunate trend she’s noticed? “There are far too few women in fintech for inclusion, and we need more entrepreneurs who understand the needs of customers and who are looking to build the next generation of innovations.” But she’s working to help close this gender gap and always seeking out woman-led companies. To the female entrepreneurs who dream of making an impact, she offers this simple advice: “Take the leap and start something!”</p>
<p class="graf graf--p">Read <a class="markup--anchor markup--p-anchor" href="http://www.accion.org/meet-women-leading-way-inclusive-financial-future-part-one/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">part one</a> and <a class="markup--anchor markup--p-anchor" href="http://www.accion.org/women-in-leadership-inclusive-financial-future%e2%80%8a-%e2%80%8apart-two/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">part two</a> to learn about more inspiring women working in financial inclusion who are breaking barriers and building a more inclusive financial system.</p>
<p class="graf graf--p"><a class="markup--anchor markup--p-anchor" href="http://emarketing.accion.org/page/s/get-updates" target="_blank" rel="nofollow nofollow nofollow noopener noreferrer"><em class="markup--em markup--p-em">Subscribe to our newsletter</em></a><em class="markup--em markup--p-em"> to receive stories, podcasts, updates on new Accion initiatives, and more.</em></p>

Meet the women leading the way to an inclusive future — part three

NOW Money

Partnership for Responsible Financial Inclusion

<p class="graf graf--p">At Accion, we’re proud to have a diverse team leading the charge as we work to tackle the problem of financial exclusion around the world.</p>
<p class="graf graf--p">To highlight some of the women in leadership working behind the scenes to build a more inclusive and prosperous world, we’re releasing a blog series on <a class="markup--anchor markup--p-anchor" href="http://www.accion.org/meet-women-leading-way-inclusive-financial-future-part-one/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">the women of Accion and our partners</a>.</p>
<p class="graf graf--p">Here are a few of the leaders we’re proud to work with:</p>

<h3 class="graf graf--p"><strong class="markup--strong markup--p-strong">Deborah Drake, Vice President, Investing in Inclusive Finance, Center for Financial Inclusion at Accion</strong></h3>
<p class="graf graf--p"><img class="wp-image-9288 size-full alignleft" src="https://content.accion.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Deborah.jpg" alt="" width="600" height="450" /></p>
<p class="graf graf--p">Deborah had a lifelong interest in international development and Latin American, which drew her to Accion. She found the concept of microfinance compelling, liked Accion’s private sector approach, and saw firsthand the impact of its work. As Vice President of <a class="markup--anchor markup--p-anchor" href="https://www.centerforfinancialinclusion.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">the Center for Financial Inclusion at Accion</a>’s <a class="markup--anchor markup--p-anchor" href="https://www.centerforfinancialinclusion.org/programs-a-projects/investing-in-inclusive-finance" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Investing in Inclusive Finance Program</a>, Deborah leads the <a class="markup--anchor markup--p-anchor" href="https://www.centerforfinancialinclusion.org/programs-a-projects/abf" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Africa Board Fellowship Program</a> as well as the Financial Inclusion Equity Council (FIEC). To those just starting out, Deborah recommends getting out into the field and getting a sense of what you want to change and how to do it. She also asserts the importance of persistence and flexibility. “The path to making an impact through your job may not be direct or come about the way you envision so be open to opportunities that at first glance may not fit your short-term objectives.”</p>
&nbsp;
<h3 class="graf graf--p"><strong class="markup--strong markup--p-strong">Andrea Echavarría, Co-Founder, Escala Educación</strong></h3>
<img class="wp-image-9298 size-full alignleft" src="https://content.accion.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Andrea.jpg" alt="" width="450" height="600" />
<p class="graf graf--p">Andrea Echavarría worked in Colombia’s nonprofit sector for 13 years before she decided to take a different approach to tackle the challenge of poverty. She co-founded <a class="markup--anchor markup--p-anchor" href="https://www.escalaeducacion.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Escala Educación</a> to help remove the barriers families — and especially women — face in accessing financial services and education. “Using fintech and the power of micro-savings, I bring <a class="markup--anchor markup--p-anchor" href="http://www.accion.org/why-we-invested-in-escala-educacion/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">access to college education</a> and have become a powerful agent of social mobility,” she says. By giving people the financial tools to take control of their own lives, ESCALA helps ignite economic empowerment for vulnerable communities and builds toward shared prosperity. “Don’t wait for the world to change,” she advises others who want to make a difference, “always pursue your purpose, and believe in your crazy ideas while committing 100 percent of your spirit, courage, and perseverance to achieve them.”</p>

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<h3></h3>
<h3 class="graf graf--p"><strong class="markup--strong markup--p-strong">Veena Mankar, Founder and Chairperson of the Board, Swadhaar</strong></h3>
<img class="wp-image-9302 size-full alignleft" src="https://content.accion.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Veena.jpg" alt="" width="600" height="450" />
<p class="graf graf--p graf--startsWithDoubleQuote">“I grew up in a privileged household, and my parents always told us that whilst everyone had innate abilities, many did not have the opportunities to realize their full potential. We, therefore, had an obligation to open doors for those less fortunate than us,” says Veena Mankar. She still takes that obligation seriously today. At <a class="markup--anchor markup--p-anchor" href="http://www.swadhaar.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Swadhaar</a>, she helps low-income, urban Indians<a class="markup--anchor markup--p-anchor" href="http://www.accion.org/swadhaar-giving-all-indians-tools-to-build-better-life/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"> access small loans</a> that they can use to improve their lives. She doesn’t just want people to have resources to make it through the next week or the next month — she wants to have a sustained impact on people’s lives. And this kind of lasting impact is starting to become more attainable. Veena observes that India’s digital infrastructure and fintech developments make it possible to finally provide every household and small business with affordable financial services suited to their needs. Looking to the future, she says, “Traditional financial institutions and fintech partnerships can deliver the best solutions for financial inclusion.” Individuals can also play a part in building a more inclusive future. If you’re driven to help, Veena advises choosing a mission that leverages “your 3 Es — expertise, education, and experience.” Once you have that mission in mind? “Believe in yourself, and make your goal your dream.”</p>

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<h3 class="graf graf--p"><strong class="markup--strong markup--p-strong">Radhika Shroff, Deputy Chief Investment Officer, Gateway Fund at Accion</strong></h3>
<img class="alignleft wp-image-9303 size-full" src="https://content.accion.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Radhika.jpg" alt="" width="450" height="600" />
<p class="graf graf--p graf--startsWithDoubleQuote">“Impact has always been a part of my life, both personally and professionally — and it permeates so much of what we do, without being called ‘impact’,” says Radhika Shroff. As the daughter of Indian immigrants, she grew up traveling to India, visiting women’s empowerment and education initiatives in Gujarat and seeing social change in action. While Radhika started her career in the private sector, she repeatedly saw that companies could both fill a social need and deliver market returns. At Accion, she brings commercial discipline to companies that can change the course of people’s lives for the better and works to attract the funds and attention impact investing needs to thrive. For those who want to follow in her footsteps, she recommends making sound investments that show market returns while making an impact and also establishing concrete metrics so you can measure that impact. She also emphasizes the importance of taking the work seriously: “Impact investing should have the same level of discipline, if not more, as all investing — which will attract more investors to impact.”</p>
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<p class="graf graf--p">Keep following this series to learn about more inspiring women in leadership who are breaking barriers and building a more inclusive financial system. If you missed part one of the series, <a class="markup--anchor markup--p-anchor" href="http://www.accion.org/meet-women-leading-way-inclusive-financial-future-part-one/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">read it now.</a></p>
<p class="graf graf--p"><a class="markup--anchor markup--p-anchor" href="http://emarketing.accion.org/page/s/get-updates" target="_blank" rel="nofollow nofollow nofollow nofollow nofollow nofollow nofollow noopener noreferrer"><em class="markup--em markup--p-em">Subscribe to our newsletter</em></a><em class="markup--em markup--p-em"> to receive stories, podcasts, updates on new Accion initiatives, and more.</em></p>

Meet the women leading the way to an inclusive future — part two

Escala

Swadhaar

Center for Financial Inclusion

When women are <a href="http://www.unwomen.org/en/what-we-do/economic-empowerment/facts-and-figures">economically empowered</a>, children benefit from better household spending, companies thrive with diverse leadership, and economies are boosted by the extra cash flow. But we’re not there yet. Women in developing economies are <a href="http://www.worldbank.org/en/results/2013/04/01/banking-on-women-extending-womens-access-to-financial-services">20 percent less likely</a> than men to have an account at a formal financial institution. And because of difficulties finding jobs and accessing economic opportunities, women are disproportionately <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2018/02/14/women-poorer-and-hungrier-than-men-across-the-world-u-n-report-says/?utm_term=.acc0bc8dd2c0">poorer than men</a>.  We’re working to help all women have the financial services they need to thrive.

At Accion, we’re proud to have a diverse team leading the charge as we work to tackle the problem of financial exclusion around the world.  Three in five people who work at Accion are women, and at Accion Venture Lab, more than half of all full-time staff are women — a rarity in the male-dominated world of venture funding.

To highlight some of the women working behind the scenes to build a more inclusive and prosperous world, we’re releasing a blog series on the women of Accion and our partners.

Here are a few of the leaders we’re proud to work with:
<h4>Tahira Dosani, Managing Director, Accion Venture Lab</h4>
<img class="alignnone" src="https://content.accion.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Tahira-Dosani-headshot.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="600" />
<p style="text-align: left">“I hear a lot of people say that they are interested in an impact career or impact investing. The sector is really broad; if you want to find a role within the space, you need to understand what kind of impact you want to make and how your experience and skill set position you to succeed in that role,” Tahira Dosani says. For Tahira, making a sustainable impact means aligning social good and financial returns. At Accion Venture Lab, she’s able to achieve this goal by supporting startups that are leveraging fintech to advance financial inclusion. She leads the fund’s work on portfolio engagement. This hands-on strategic and operational support helps <a href="https://www.accion.org/content/venture-lab-portfolio">Venture Lab’s portfolio companies</a> grow and scale, and it helps us continue learning as investors. In addition to this engagement work, Tahira supports investment decisions, manages portfolio relationships, and drives the strategy and growth of Venture Lab. As a leader in her field, she makes sure to support other women, and she encourages everyone to do the same: “Once you’re where you want to be, help other women get there too.”</p>

<h4>Bunmi Lawson, Former Managing Director and CEO, Accion Microfinance Bank</h4>
<img class="alignnone" src="https://content.accion.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/bunmi-iwd-web.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="600" />
“Women who want to make an impact should have a clear focus on the nature and segment they want to change. Sometimes in a bid to improve the world we live in, we try to do too many things. Focus ensures we achieve significant impact and drive the positive change we want to see,” says Bunmi Lawson. And she should know — Bunmi has spent her career <a href="http://www.accion.org/one-womans-effort-to-end-financial-services-inequality-in-nigeria/">promoting opportunity and equality in Nigeria</a>. Before retiring from the role in December, she spent a decade as Managing Director and CEO of Accion Microfinance Bank. Under her direction, the institution grew from one branch to nearly 50 and helped close the gap in access to financial services in Nigeria. While at Accion Microfinance Bank, Bunmi made sure account officers were gender balanced in order to better serve their customers — 68 percent of whom are women.
<h4>Elisabeth Rhyne, Managing Director, Center for Financial Inclusion at Accion</h4>
<img class="alignnone" src="https://content.accion.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/beth-iwd-web.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="600" />
“Get out to the field, spend time with the people you want to make a difference to, learn how the institutions and industries work, and get a few hard skills,” advises Elisabeth Rhyne to those looking to make an impact. Elisabeth worked in microfinance for 20 years, including in Kenya and Mozambique, before focusing on financial inclusion more broadly. While microfinance had focused on credit, she saw that people needed a full range of financial services and recognized the increased feasibility of new business models. Shifting her focus to financial inclusion more broadly was a response to these industry changes. Elisabeth first joined Accion as Senior Vice President, leading Accion’s initial entry into Africa and India.
<h4>Kathleen Yaworsky, Manager, Global Advisory Solutions at Accion</h4>
<img class="alignnone" src="https://content.accion.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/katheleen-iwd-web.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="600" />
How can you have the biggest impact on the most people? That’s been the driving question for Kathleen throughout her career, and it eventually <a href="http://www.accion.org/what-does-financial-inclusion-have-to-do-with-the-sustainable-development-goals/">led her to Accion</a>. She sees financial services as the enabling infrastructure for other international development goals — from clean water to quality education to gender equality. At Accion, she offers advisory services for financial service providers worldwide. Her focus is on solutions that help deliver financial tools at scale, including digitization, <a href="http://www.accion.org/implementing-big-data-10-tips-financial-service-providers/">big data applications</a> for financial inclusion, customer engagement, and more. For other people who are driven to make a difference, she advises leaning into your strengths. There are many ways to achieve your goals, through different roles or different organizations. “The key is to find the right fit to really leverage your skill set,” says Kathleen. And don’t forget to pace yourself, she adds: “A career in international development is a marathon, not a sprint — it requires a sustained passion for social impact.”

Meet the women leading the way to an inclusive future — part one

Accion Microfinance Bank