In a small clinic located in India’s heartland, a flicker of hope sparkled in the eyes of numerous individuals who had lived in darkness for far too long. The launch of ‘SAVE – The Roshni Project’ at AcuVision Eye Centre was much more than the implementation of a strategic healthcare intervention; it is the fruitful expression of SAVE Group’s philosophy, which is that the foundation of true inclusion must embrace care, humanity, and community.
SAVE Microfinance Private Limited – one of the SAVE Group companies- launched the CSR initiative to provide free cataract surgeries for disadvantaged patients, where the funding would not permit them to access high-quality eye healthcare. When addressing these humanitarian issues for many patients, it was more than sight; it was dignity, livelihood, and hope.
Roshni, which simply means light, is a project that has funded 89 free cataract surgeries as part of SAVE’s CSR funding. Each patient receives a post-operative care kit along with their discharge summary to make sure they recover as expected.
From Vision to Empowerment
SAVE has always been about empowerment. Since its founding to support microcredit and livelihood opportunities to underserved communities, SAVE Microfinance has established a strong reputation for responsible lending, financial literacy, and community involvement. The organization generally supports underrepresented women’s enterprises in rural India in bridging the credit gap for those who symbolize the long exclusion from formal banking.
SAVE Microfinance has made a significant leap forward by raising USD 3 million (~INR 26.45 crore) through Non-Convertible Debentures (NCDs) from Impact Investment Exchange’s (IIX) Women’s Livelihood Bond™ 7 (WLB7). This funding is a great achievement for SAVE’s vision of empowering low-income women entrepreneurs and contributing to financial inclusion in India.
The funding will be used to expand outreach, diversify funding, enhance financial literacy efforts, and grow responsibly. More than providing credit, SAVE aims to build resilience among rural households, realizing its ambition of ensuring economic growth is equitable, sustainable, and impactful.
A Global Alliance for Local Change
The Women’s Livelihood Bond™ Series from IIX is the first financial instrument to attract private sector investment into women’s empowerment in emerging markets. Supported by global development finance institutions such as the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the WLB7 will provide over 773,000 underserved women throughout Asia with access to credit, business ownership, and climate-focused investments.
Linking Sustainability 
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