Annapurna Mahila Mandal (AMM) is a microfinance institution working for women empowerment in the urban areas of Maharashtra, India. It was founded in the early 1970s with the background of labor unrest in Mumbai. The first part of this paper deals with the factors responsible for the inception of AMM, the role of a social entrepreneur in its development, its objectives, its strategies, and its growth over the years. The second part deals with the assessment of economic and social empowerment of member beneficiaries due to this movement, by using the survey method. The survey reveals that while economic empowerment of members, in terms of income generation, asset creation and monthly expenditure, were marginal, it is significant in terms of savings. The survey also reveals that the members of AMM experienced a significant rise in self-esteem, self-respect and leadership qualities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]