Associate Director
Bhavana worked at MSC as a financial services consultant with over 20 years of experience, of which 16 years have been in microfinance, SME lending, and project management.
The digital journey of Shakti Foundation for Disadvantaged Women: a lesson for progressive MFIs in Bangladesh
The case study charts how Shakti Foundation for Disadvantaged Women utilized technology to address the challenge of offering a customer-centric savings product for low-income segments while managing associated risks.
Sep 17, 2020
Sep 17, 2020
When inclusion is not inclusive: What needs to change to achieve meaningful financial Inclusion for women
Financial inclusion sector’s combined efforts have not succeeded in making an impact on women. Mainly for reasons – significant variations in their behaviour and ecosystem players generally overlooking gender centrality in the design of financial products and services
Jan 17, 2020
Bhavana Srivastava, Akhand Tiwari, Rahul Chatterjee and Abhishek Gupta
Jan 17, 2020
Bhavana Srivastava, Akhand Tiwari, Rahul Chatterjee and Abhishek Gupta
Creative economies as a gateway to pro-poor tourism in India
The paper discusses the role that creative economies can play in transforming the tourist regions as engines of youth employment growth and upskilling.
Jul 4, 2019
Jul 4, 2019
Digital transformation of MFIs in Bangladesh
UNCDF SHIFT commissioned MSC to conduct a study on the status of digitization in the microfinance sector in Bangladesh. Along with the interventions that MFIs will undertake, the sector also needs policy-level changes that enable the digitization of microfinance institutions. This policy brief presents the challenges that the microfinance sector in Bangladesh faces and interventions that would create an enabling environment for digital transformation.
May 27, 2019
May 27, 2019
Digital transformation of MFIs in Bangladesh opportunities, challenges and way forward
With the entry of FinTech firms in Bangladesh and the government’s aim to build an inclusive digital financial ecosystem, it is now imperative for the microfinance sector in Bangladesh to move towards digital transformation. UNCDF SHIFT commissioned MSC to conduct a study on the status of digitization in the microfinance sector in Bangladesh. This report examines the status of digitization in the microfinance sector in Bangladesh, technology options, and the next steps towards digital transformation.
May 27, 2019
Bhavana Srivastava, Ravi Kant, Ishita Sharma, Sivakumar Krishnan and Sonal Agrawal
Gender centrality of mobile financial services in Bangladesh
This consumer behavior research aims to investigate why this is so, examining the gender centrality in digital financial services (DFS) in Bangladesh. The study focused only on mobile financial services as the most prevalent form of DFS in Bangladesh.
Apr 15, 2019
Akhand Tiwari, Bhavana Srivastava, Rahul Chatterjee and Ana Klincic Andrews
Apr 15, 2019
Akhand Tiwari, Bhavana Srivastava, Rahul Chatterjee and Ana Klincic Andrews
A comprehensive framework for gender centrality in financial services
This briefing note introduces MSC’s gender centrality framework and explains how financial service providers and policymakers can help to promote the gender equality.
Mar 7, 2019
Mar 7, 2019
Redeeming the pledge on gender equality
Across the globe, a billion women remain financially excluded, with a gender gap of 9% persisting stubbornly in developing countries.
Oct 29, 2018
Abhishek Gupta, Akhand Tiwari, Bhavana Srivastava and Sunita Rangaswami
Oct 29, 2018
Abhishek Gupta, Akhand Tiwari, Bhavana Srivastava and Sunita Rangaswami