women empowerment programs

  This initiative is more than just a training program; it is a pathway to economic empowerment and social change. By equipping rural women with the skills to start and manage their own mushroom farms, we are helping them achieve financial independence and improve their quality of life. The income generated from mushroom farming enables these women to support their families, invest in their children's education, and contribute to their communities' overall well-being.

  Jute Art Training is a transformative program designed to empower and uplift women in rural communities by providing practical skills in jute craft and artistry that will translate into income-generating opportunities and financial independence. The training also promotes sustainable craft practices by focusing on jute, a biodegradable and renewable resource, thereby endorsing eco-friendly products. Participants learn various jute-based handicraft techniques, including bag making, home decor, jewelry crafting, placemats, and more! These handmade craft items will be sold under the umbrella of Astitva Grameen Hastshilp. 

 Astitva Grameen Hastshilp is more than just a producer of indigenous artifacts; it is a catalyst for change in marginalized communities. Through training, capacity-building, and market linkages, it empowers rural women to transform their talent into sustainable livelihoods and gain access to international markets. In the process, women also acquire knowledge about foreign exchange, currency conversion, financials, banking transactions, and freight shipping.  With each shipment that leaves villages of Chhattisgarh bound for distant shores, we are exporting hope, opportunity, and the promise of a brighter future for rural communities around the world. 

 Astitva Grameen Hastshilp is forming the foundation of social development & transforming lives at the grassroots level in Chhattisgarh. It provides a seedbed to handicraft production as a cottage industry which is central to generating employment and income in rural areas.  

Our model is based on six main components: 

1. Women's economic empowerment 2. Provision of capital

3. Market development 4. Mobilising digital technologies

5. Business management support services, and 6. Fostering entrepreneurial dynamism to carving an identity for rural women

  Our goal is to develop sewing, stitching, tailoring, and repairing skills among women in Chhattisgarh thereby making them self-reliant. We have  established our first batch of Silai Sakhis (a circle of friends doing similar work) that were able to sew and distribute cloth masks in the rural schools of Chhattisgarh during the pandemic . By eliminating the basic barriers to participation in the economy, we are helping women do even more to contribute to, build, and grow a sustainable society for everyone. 

Success stories of budding rural women artisans associated with Astitva Grameen Hastshilp, who are on the path to establishing their own micro-business. 

 Encouraging the women to learn Madhubani Art is one of our various initiatives aimed at upskilling them to earn a proud living.

Flower Art training program to help women gain artistic skills, design techniques, and knowledge to start their own creative shop.  

The training for Aipan folk design art of Uttarakhand and Lippan traditional clay art from Gujarat was given to promote rural micro-entrepreneurs and generate new prospects of economic development.  

Promoting indigenous arts and crafts of India towards traditional livelihoods for sustainable impact is one of our initiatives under Project Pehchaan, fostering social and economic empowerment of rural women in Chhattisgarh.

 Designer Greeting Cards is a skills development workshop under Project Pehchaan, an initiative toward empowering rural women of Chhattisgarh.

Paper bag making workshop is a venture towards women empowerment and making a livelihood out of an ecofriendly, biodegradable product by using recyclable old newspapers. While this initiative will generate employment, it will also raise awareness to be environmentally friendly.

Ensuring customers receive Diwali order in time

A village girl in the process of making an Ecobag

Women Empowerment in rural Chhattisgarh

Girl from a village, painting an artifact

Hand-painted tea coaster

  'Pehchaan' is giving wings to the women in rural Chhattisgarh. After we provided Madhubani painting training, our girls took no time in mastering the new skills. Now, with the materials we provided, these girls are already producing handcrafted artefacts ready to be sold online!  

 With sewing equipment, stitching materials and tailoring training provided by the foundation, Silai Sakhis are able to sew masks among other things, taking their initial steps towards earning a living. 

 A Silai Sakhi made cloth masks and distributed them at a local village school. Today, she is a big inspiration for many in her village. 

 Our ‘Silai Sakhi’ ecosystem aims at empowering women in underserved communities to become financially independent. We proudly distributed handmade cloth masks made by our very own Silai Sakhis!