Our aim is to build dignity and self-esteem of women through sustainable livelihood programs in the tribal/rural regions of India. We support community based organizations that prepare girls and women for work in the formal and informal sector in rural areas and thus play an important role in poverty alleviation.
India has the second largest tribal population in the world. Most tribal communities are devoid of basic necessities like water, transport, health facilities, higher education, income generation skills, etc. Many non-profits in these regions are constantly working towards making their lives better. However, women are generally under-represented in formal business training programs thus limiting their employment options, economic and long term career development. The key challenges that women face are: they do not have financial knowledge and have limited access to credit facilities; they do not have access to training for acquiring new skills and lastly they do not have support from the communities to be financially independent.
Through our sustainable livelihood small grants program, we support community based organizations that can build and enhance the capabilities of girls and women, provide job opportunities and thereby reducing or eliminating chances of being exploited by others. All the strategies are designed to utilize natural resources that are locally available and enable sustainable development. We fund projects that reach girls and women in tribal/rural areas, that align with our overall goal of enabling girls and women. We encourage partners to innovate in their designs and use technology. We also encourage women to apply to us directly if they have a business plan and need support in the set up.
