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Women Empowerment Programs
'Pehchaan' is our grassroots initiative to extend a helping hand to the women in rural areas in Chhattisgarh. The idea is to propel skills development among unemployed women and help them secure business opportunities. Investing in women’s economic empowerment sets a direct path towards augmenting gender equality, promoting financial inclusion, fostering female entrepreneurship, and inclusive economic growth in women led micro-business. 'Pehchaan' demonstrates the potential of women as a powerful catalyst for social empowerment and promotion of gender inclusion and equality.
Building on this foundation of empowerment, Astitva Grameen Hastshilp, the social enterprise handicrafts brand of Astitva Foundation, Chhattisgarh, is now listed on the ONDC network and MSME Mart, connecting indigenous artisans to wider platforms, national trade ecosystems, and new markets. It strengthens the vital bridge between local talent and market demand, ensuring that traditional art forms are not only preserved but also positioned to thrive in modern commerce. This strategic step enables direct market access, transparent pricing, and digital visibility by giving rural women artisans greater control over their livelihoods, reducing dependence on middlemen, and strengthening organized procurement channels.
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Pehchaan: Empowering Women, Enabling Livelihoods
Block Printing: From Skills to Sustainability
A beautiful blend of tradition, creativity, and empowerment unfolded in Mura village, Tilda tehsil, as Astitva Foundation, Chhattisgarh successfully conducted a two-day Block Printing Workshop for rural women. The hands-on training introduced participants to the rich heritage of block printing while equipping them with valuable skills to create handcrafted textiles and explore economic opportunities.
Workshops like these go beyond training; they are a step toward financial independence, self-reliance, and the preservation of traditional art forms. This initiative reflects our commitment to empowering women through skill development and sustainable livelihoods.
Mushroom Farming for Economic Independence
In a joint effort by Astitva Foundation, Chhattisgarh and Indira Gandhi Krishi Vishwavidyalaya (IGKV), Raipur, a comprehensive training program on mushroom farming was recently conducted to empower rural women and promote sustainable livelihoods. The initiative equips women with the skills and knowledge needed to cultivate mushrooms, a high-value crop offering economic benefits and supporting sustainable agricultural practices.
Weaving Opportunities with Jute
Astitva Foundation, Chhattisgarh in collaboration with Chhattisgarh Hastshilp Vikas Board, offered Jute Art Training to rural women. The program empowered women by teaching practical jute craft skills that create income-generating opportunities and promote financial independence. Using sustainable jute, participants learn to make bags, home décor, jewelry, placemats, and more, with their handmade products sold through Astitva Grameen Hastshilp platform.
Eco-Friendly Livelihoods with Paper Bags
As a step toward a cleaner, greener India, Astitva Foundation, Chhattisgarh is promoting a sustainable, pollution-free world by eliminating single-use plastic. The initiative is supported by Amrit Pharmacy at AIIMS Raipur and VY Hospital, Raipur. The initiative helps rural women to earn a fair income, enabling them to become financially independent and support their families.
Our women’s empowerment initiative, Project Pehchaan, is a grassroots effort to drive skills development and economic prosperity among rural women through cottage industries. Trained in making paper bags, these women can scale production up to 500 bags a day, with each bag holding up to 3 kilograms. This initiative provides a sustainable source of income for rural communities while contributing to a cleaner environment for all.
Pehchaan: Skills That Transform Rural Communities
Block Printing
Jute Art Training
Jute Art Training
Through our intensive skill development program, rural women have now begun full-scale production of block printing products. A true blend of Economic Empowerment, the perseverance of Cultural Heritage, and Sustainable Livelihoods taking root in rural Chhattisgarh. From scarf & stole drapes to table cloths and home linens, every piece they create carries:
1. The imprint of tradition.
2. The rhythm of hand-crafted artistry.
3. The strength of women shaping their own future.
Jute Art Training
Jute Art Training
Jute Art Training
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.
Wooden Artwork
Jute Art Training
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.
Mushroom Farming
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.
Astitva Grameen Hastshilp
Astitva Grameen Hastshilp
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:
- Women's economic empowerment
- Provision of capital
- Market development
- Mobilizing digital technologies
- Business management support services, and
- Fostering entrepreneurial dynamism to carving an identity for rural women
Silai Sakhi
Astitva Grameen Hastshilp
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.
Candle Making Workshop
Astitva Foundation, Chhattisgarh organized a candle-making workshop to promote women’s empowerment in rural areas. Financial independence and livelihood for rural women artisans is one of our primary focus areas, supported through skills development training. The products created during these workshops are marketed and sold under our platform, Astitva Grameen Hastshilp.
Threads of Empowerment
Women are weaving jute baskets for Diwali orders and making significant strides toward financial independence and empowerment through Astitva Grameen Hastshilp. This initiative is a strong example of targeted action to promote skill development and economic empowerment of rural women.
Painting Workshop
Rural Women Micro-Entrepreneurs
Encouraging rural women to learn Madhubani Art is one of our various initiatives aimed at upskilling them to earn a proud living.
Rural Women Micro-Entrepreneurs
Aipan & Lippan Skills Development Training
Rural Women Micro-Entrepreneurs
Success stories of budding rural women artisans associated with Astitva Grameen Hastshilp, who are on the path to establishing their own micro-business.
Floristry Skills Development Training
Aipan & Lippan Skills Development Training
Aipan & Lippan Skills Development Training
Flower Art training program to help women gain artistic skills, design techniques, and knowledge to start their own creative shop.
Aipan & Lippan Skills Development Training
Aipan & Lippan Skills Development Training
Aipan & Lippan Skills Development Training
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.
Fabric Painting Workshop
Greeting Card Making Workshop
Greeting Card Making Workshop
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.
Greeting Card Making Workshop
Greeting Card Making Workshop
Greeting Card Making Workshop
Designer Greeting Cards is a skills development workshop under Project Pehchaan, an initiative toward empowering rural women of Chhattisgarh.
Paper Bags Making Workshop
Greeting Card Making Workshop
Paper Bags Making Workshop
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.
Diwali Order Delivery
Diwali Order Delivery
Paper Bags Making Workshop
Ensuring customers receive Diwali order in time
Making Ecobags
Diwali Order Delivery
Work in Progress
A village girl in the process of making Paper bags
Work in Progress
Diwali Order Delivery
Work in Progress
Women Empowerment in rural Chhattisgarh
Work in Action
Hand Finished Product
Hand Finished Product
Girl from a village, painting an artifact
Hand Finished Product
Hand Finished Product
Hand Finished Product
Hand-painted tea coaster
Completed Projects
Hand Finished Product
Silai Sakhi - Gorra village
'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!
Silai Sakhi - Gorra village
Silai Sakhi - Gorra village
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.
Silai Sakhi - Khairpur village
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.
Silai Sakhi - Dhansuli 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!