Bengaluru, August 28, 2024, | WhatsApp today released its impact report titled ‘Fast Lane to Social Impact’ that explores the pivotal role the platform plays in the lives of Indian users, empowering small businesses to thrive in today’s digital economy and powering social welfare organizations to drive positive societal change, often being the digital enabler for the last mile.
The report curated by Redseer Strategy Consultants, delves into the multifaceted impact of the platform’s offerings—WhatsApp consumer app, WhatsApp Business App, and the WhatsApp Business Platform [API], highlighting how the platform has transformed the way people and communities interact and conduct business by facilitating seamless communication.
Commenting on the report’s launch, Shivnath Thukral, Vice President of Public Policy, at Meta India, said, “WhatsApp has emerged as a pivotal tool, revolutionizing how individuals, businesses, and social welfare organizations communicate and operate. From supporting women entrepreneurs to providing skill development for the unemployed or even ensuring parents stay engaged with their children’s education — organizations are successfully harnessing the platform’s capabilities for driving positive social change. The success stories in the report are a testament to WhatsApp’s transformative potential and how it supports different segments of society to thrive in India’s rapidly evolving digital landscape.”
Empowering India’s MSMEs and boosting entrepreneurship
WhatsApp Business App has provided micro, and small businesses and solopreneurs across India a democratized gateway to discover new markets and serve their customers, along with building a professional digital identity for their business.
WhatsApp Business has enabled small businesses to streamline operations and easily receive and fulfill orders online, helping them increase efficiency and expand their reach, including access to international markets. In turn, boosting entrepreneurship by providing local businesses and startups access to digital tools that put them on an equal footing with large enterprises.
Moreover, The Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) and Meta’s ‘WhatsApp Se Wyapaar program aims to digitally train and upskill 10 million local traders on the WhatsApp Business App. The partnership will be implemented in 11 Indian languages across all 29 Indian states.
The partnership also provides 25,000 traders access to the Meta Small Business Academy, offering certification that enhances digital marketing skills.
Powering social welfare organizations to scale impact
WhatsApp has enabled numerous social welfare organizations in India to deliver impactful solutions in areas such as education, healthcare, financial inclusion, and women empowerment, driving positive social change and transformation at the grassroots.
Mann Deshi Foundation supports over 100,000 rural women entrepreneurs by providing financial literacy and access to business opportunities across markets through their WhatsApp chatbot. So far, they have digitally trained over 15,000 women, 85% of them being rural beneficiaries.
Other use cases include NGOs leveraging the platform to scale initiatives like reducing period poverty, empowering pregnant women with comprehensive healthcare and baby care knowledge, and upskilling young professionals for better employment opportunities.
Building citizen services for efficient e-governance
WhatsApp has supported government agencies across the country to deliver efficient and inclusive citizen services. There are several innovative and impactful use cases ranging from complaint resolution, promoting digital health technology, driving cybersecurity awareness, delivering local utility services, and offering efficient and sustainable public transportation services, among many others.
The National Consumer Helpline (NCH) is effectively using WhatsApp to streamline grievance and query resolution systems for a hassle-free experience. The chatbot enables consumers across India to raise complaints, access grievance records to track status updates, and allows the government to spread awareness about consumer rights.