Transform Rural India's Youth Empower Bond Opens on Social Stock Exchange

• Transform Rural India is the first Indian NPO championing rural entrepreneurs to get the nod from the National Stock Exchange (NSE) to be listed on the SSE

• The bond focused on youth employability and entrepreneurship aims to raise funds up to Rs 2 crore benefiting over 5,000 rural youth

Transform Rural India (TRI), a non-profit organisation striving to provide equal opportunities to rural citizens by designing scalable and grounded solutions, announced the issuance of the Youth Empower Bond through the Social Stock Exchange (SSE) on February 21. The offering of TRI Bonds will provide investors with the opportunity to purchase these Zero Coupon Zero Principal (ZCZP) instruments through the application form, available on the SSE website. While the Youth Empower Bonds are not tradable, they will serve as a unique bridge connecting organizations/individuals with TRI, enabling potential donors to contribute to nation-building and rural prosperity through the Youth Entrepreneurship & Self-Employment (YESE) program.

Transform Rural India's listing will generate immense opportunities for thousands of rural youths in the country

The issuance period will conclude on February 28, with the allotment date scheduled for March 4. Through the offering of Youth Empower Bonds, TRI aims to raise funds amounting to Rs Two Crore, intended for self-employment and empowerment programs benefiting over 5,000 rural youths.

“As outlined by the United Nations Development Programme, India needs US$ One trillion annually to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. With a yearly funding shortfall of US$ 560 billion, solely relying on the government may prove insufficient. The Social Stock Exchange (SSE) plays a pivotal role by providing a platform where the private sector and High Net Worth Individuals (HNIs) can help bridge this gap. The bonds issued by TRI act as a transparent financial instrument, contributing to the financing of sustainable development in the country,” says Neeraj Ahuja, Associate Director at Transform Rural India.

With this step, TRI will generate immense opportunities for thousands of rural youths like Jaishree Shetole, a 25-year-old entrepreneur from Niwali village, Madhya Pradesh. Hindered by economic hardships, Jaishree was unable to continue her education beyond the 10th grade. Confronting domestic violence early in her marriage, she left her husband to ensure a brighter future for her two children. Her compelling journey saw her undertake tailoring and boutique management training at ITI Niwali, after which she sought assistance from TRI’s Enterprise Facilitation Hub for training and financial support. Participating in the Gender Integrated-Accelerated Entrepreneurship Development Program (AEDP), she acquired valuable business knowledge and secured Rs One lakh loan through the Rang De app. Her boutique business is now thriving, accepting digital payments, and planning to employ youths. This story serves as a quintessential example of how vital financial and technical support is for rural Indian youth pursuing their entrepreneurial dreams.

TRI is only the second NPO to get the nod from the National Stock Exchange (NSE) to be listed on the SSE. Diverging from traditional bonds or equities, the ZCZP instrument does not generate interest or return the principal amount upon maturity; rather, it functions as a pure donation. This provides a structured avenue for supporting social causes, offering advantages such as transparency, legitimacy, and potential tax benefits, which are not typically associated with direct donations.

"The TRI Bonds present a compelling investment opportunity for investors looking to contribute to meaningful social causes. We commit to transparent reporting on fund utilization and impact generation, independently verified by third parties. These reports comprehensively outline specific social outcomes, including the number of youths employed and entrepreneurs supported, offering investors measurable and tangible evidence of the impact of their investment," adds Ahuja.

Once the allotment is completed, the Youth Empower Bonds will be listed on SSE on March 8.