Rani Deshpande

Senior Financial Sector Specialist

Rani Deshpande rejoined CGAP in 2019 as part of an initiative to understand the potential of targeted financial services to maximize the benefits of the burgeoning digitally-mediated “gig” economy for young, marginalized workers, especially women.

Rani brings 20 years of experience in various aspects of financial inclusion, youth livelihoods, and nonprofit strategy and management. Most recently, she directed Save the Children’s $35M portfolio of youth and off-farm livelihoods development work in over a dozen countries. From 2010 to 2016 she led YouthSave, an initiative that assisted over 150,000 teens to open tailored savings accounts and save over $1.2M. Ms. Deshpande worked at CGAP from 2003-2006 and built institutional and industry capacity on financial products including savings and money transfers. She has also served as a strategy consultant to US nonprofits and worked directly with MSMEs in India and West Africa, providing technical assistance on production for export and small business management.

Rani earned her undergraduate degree from Stanford University and a dual Master’s degree in International Affairs and Business from Columbia University. She is fluent in French and Marathi.

By Rani Deshpande

Blog

Supplying What the Market Won’t: Donors and Young Women’s Inclusion

Young women across Africa are one of the most underserved markets for financial services. Donors can step in by strategically supporting services the market isn't likely to provide but are key to increasing young women's financial inclusion.
Blog

What Is “Appropriate” Financial Inclusion for Young Women?

Young women in low-income countries face major life changes in early adulthood. Tailored financial inclusion—through segmented products, accessible delivery, financial literacy, and partnerships—supports their transitions.
Research

Young Women's Financial Inclusion: What Works

This paper summarizes two decades of insights to help practitioners unlock the social and business case for young women’s financial inclusion. It outlines tailored strategies for product design, delivery, financial capability, and social intermediation to meet the needs of this diverse and vital client group.
Blog

Financially Including Young Women: Gains for a Generation

The final blog in our series with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation spotlights what CGAP and BMGF have learned about the dynamics of young women’s financial exclusion, and new initiatives to tackle the gender gap at its source in young adulthood.
Blog

Decoding Financial Inclusion Gaps Between Young Men and Women

A recent CGAP study revealed a gender gap in financial service adoption among youth in low-income countries. Here, we analyze Findex 2021 data to better understand the factors driving these disparities.