Smart Chhori Program Launched To Promote Digital And Financial Literacy Among Girls and Young Women Across Nepal

Enepalese Published on: February 21, 2019

Call for participation from 10,000 girls and young women from across the nation

Kathmandu, 20 February 2019

Khalti, a digital payment platform in Nepal has announced the launch of a special ‘Smart Chhori’ program today. The program is aimed at empowering girls and young women in Nepal through financial knowledge and skills. As part of this initiative, 10,000 adolescent girls and women from across the nation will be trained on financial and digital literacy who will later emerge as influencers in their communities.

Nepal has a high female unemployment rate and lacking digital skills has become one of the barriers for women and girls in enhancing their career. Still today, a lot of financial decisions are taken by the male members of the family and lots of women still struggle to use smartphones and handle basic finances. Smart Chhori program is launched with an aim to encourage women and girls into digital finance and help them to be ready for what’s there to come in this rapidly advancing digital world.

Smart Chhori program is a free e-learning platform inside Khalti Digital Wallet app where girls can learn about the basics of digital payments, online security and personal finance. Girls and young women from age group 15-35 years having a smartphone and access to internet can enroll in the program.

Through this program, Khati aims to equip young Nepali girls with the knowledge, skills, and attitude which can change their lives by helping them become independent, establish good financial habits, discuss saving, budgeting, and expenses with family members and improve their future prospect for decent work opportunities.

Announcing the launch, Amit Agrawal, Director of Khalti and Coordinator of Smart Chhori program says,

‘Digital Nepal’ and ‘Smart City’ have become buzzwords recently. However, physical infrastructures alone are not sufficient to turn this dream into reality. Digitally literate population and public participation is very essential.

“And, talking about public participation, we shouldn’t forget the role of females who comprise 51% of Nepal’s population. Female Community Health Volunteers (FCHVs) have been playing a significant role to promote health care in villages across Nepal. We can mobilize our daughters in a similar way as the agents of change to promote digital literacy and simplify lives of people with the use of internet technology.

“Smart Chhori program is launched with an aim to prepare female workforce to change Nepal into a Digital and Smart Nepal. We request all interested girls to enroll in Smart Chhori program and be Smart Role Models in their communities.”

By enrolling in this program, adolescent girls and young women can grow their digital and financial skills and leverage smartphones and internet to make an impact in the lives of people in their communities.

How to join the Smart Chhori program?

Interested girls and young women aged 15-35 years can join the training program by clicking on Smart Chhori banner on the home screen of Khalti app (available both in iOS and Android platforms). This e-learning platform is available for female users only.

To download Khalti app: khalti.com/download

 About Khalti Digital Wallet

Launched in January 2017, Khalti is an emerging mobile payment solution in Nepal. During this very short period of time, Khalti has emerged as one of the most preferred payment choices amongst customers in Nepal. Khalti allows users to top-up their mobile balance, pay DTH bills, internet bills, various utility bills, book movie tickets, flight tickets, hotel rooms, top up Tootle balance, make payments for food ordered online at Foodmandu, and pay at various online shopping sites in Nepal. Users can avail all these services through its app and website.

In 2017, Khalti had won Google Business Group Stories Contest, a global startup competition. Since its establishment, Khalti has been supporting various programs focused towards youth, innovation and entrepreneurship – with an aim to promote entrepreneurial ecosystem in Nepal.