ABOUT THE EVENT

Drive to Thrive: Financial Literacy on the Streets was a community-oriented financial literacy and awareness outreach initiative organized by the E360 Club – Everything Economics Club on 30 August 2026 at Connaught Place, New Delhi. The initiative was conducted with auto-rickshaw drivers, community whose occupational and financial realities often involve daily cash transactions, irregular income patterns, informal credit arrangements, and varying levels of access to formal financial services and digital financial systems. The primary objective of the initiative was to understand and assess the existing level of financial awareness among auto-rickshaw drivers, while simultaneously creating awareness about essential financial and social-security concepts that could support better financial decision-making. Rather than limiting the programme to a conventional awareness session, the initiative focused on engaging directly with the community to understand their existing knowledge, practices, concerns, and experiences related to personal finance.

The outreach explored various dimensions of financial literacy, including awareness and usage of banking services, savings and investments, loans and EMIs, insurance and pension schemes, digital payments, UPI safety and online financial scams, government schemes and policies, financial planning, emergency funds, and household budgeting. In addition, discussions covered practical aspects relevant to the daily lives of auto-rickshaw drivers, including traffic rules, essential documents, road safety, and awareness of applicable regulations. Through direct interaction and structured discussions, the programme attempted to identify how financially aware the participants were, which financial services they actively used, what misconceptions or knowledge gaps existed, and what challenges prevented them from making greater use of formal financial services. The initiative also provided an opportunity to communicate practical information in a simple and accessible manner, particularly on topics such as safe UPI usage, avoiding financial fraud, maintaining savings, understanding loan obligations, preparing for emergencies, and planning for long-term financial security.

A key aspect of Drive to Thrive was its community-first approach. The objective was not to assume that the participants lacked financial knowledge, but rather to understand their existing awareness and build upon it. The interactions helped create a two-way learning process in which students gained insights into the real-world financial challenges faced by auto-rickshaw drivers, while participants received relevant information that could assist them in making more informed financial choices. The initiative therefore served a dual purpose: assessing the current state of financial literacy within the community and contributing towards improving it through accessible, practical awareness. By taking financial literacy beyond classrooms and formal institutions and bringing it directly to the streets, Drive to Thrive aimed to demonstrate how economic awareness can be translated into meaningful community engagement and everyday financial empowerment.

The programme concluded with feedback from the participating auto-rickshaw drivers, enabling the E360 Club to understand their experience of the initiative and assess whether the outreach had contributed to greater awareness. The overwhelmingly positive responses indicated that the participants found the interaction useful and engaging, reinforcing the importance of taking financial literacy initiatives directly to communities and tailoring them to their practical needs. Ultimately, “Drive to Thrive” was an attempt to bridge the gap between financial knowledge and everyday financial realities one conversation, one interaction, and one informed decision at a time.

OBJECTIVES OF THE EVENT

• To provide club members with an opportunity to apply their academic knowledge of economics and finance in a real-world community setting.
• To develop leadership, communication, teamwork, and organizational skills among student volunteers through the planning and execution of financial literacy workshops.
• To create awareness among auto rikshaw drivers regarding basic financial concepts such as saving, budgeting, interest, banking services, taxation, and digital payments.
• To strengthen the institution's commitment to community engagement and social responsibility.

EVENT OUTCOME

• Club members gain practical experience in designing and delivering educational outreach programmes and develop confidence in public speaking and community interaction.
• Enhanced civic responsibility, empathy, and leadership skills among participating students.
• Increased awareness among auto rikshaw drivers around banking services, digital financial transactions, and basic financial concepts.
• Strengthened linkages between the institution and the local community through meaningful knowledge-sharing initiatives.