Women have been playing very important and significant role in both urban and rural areas. We see that both in the organized and unorganized sectors of economy, women have been contributing substantially and yet very often their contribution goes unnoticed by both the family and society. Improving women’s control over material resources and strengthening their economic security is adopted in this Project. The broader objectives of this programme are to inculcate group culture, collective approach amongst the women and encouraging them to form self- help groups with thrift and credit for lateral entry into a more organized co-operative society. Regular inputs like entrepreneurship development programmes, tailor-made product cum process development programmes will be provided to enhance the inherent entrepreneurship capabilities and motivating the women to take up income generation activities.
Background of the Organisation
Nearly eleven years back XXXXXX started its journey to bring the light into the life of the weaker sections of the society. As a national, independent, voluntary, non- governmental organization, XXXXXXXX is working towards empowerment of women through education, HIV/AIDs and healthcare. Its journey continues by enhancing the quality of life of the people who are living below the poverty line. Since inception from a small beginning of working on health and vocational training issues, XXXXXXXX has today made significant inroads in the field of education, vocational training, HIV/AIDs, women empowerment, health, environment, strengthening human capabilities etc. All this has resulted in building institution of self-governance at the slum level. We undertake various programs and functions through its 15 community-based centers in South, South East Delhi and in Gujarat.
Vocational and life skills training for women viz empowering women through Self Help Groups and income generation programs, promotion of entrepreneurship, facilitating through bank linkages, loaning and inter-loaning etc., XXXXXXXX continues to grow in its outreach and need based projects by responding to various socio-economic realities that emerges with each community-based intervention. Hence XXXXXXXX strongly promotes livelihood and economic empowerment in all forms with the package of integrated programs for marginalized children, youth, women and senior citizens.
Mission
- To reach out and touch lives.
- Poverty alleviation by creating employability and income generation amongst less fortunate.
- Empowerment of women and children through education, vocational training and creating healthcare
Vision
XXXXXXXX envisions an India which believes in equality amongst all, fosters a safe and secure environment for women and children and nurtures its ecosystem.
Philosphy
XXXXXXXX believes that education is an inherent right and the only way by which we can transform the individual, the family and the nation is by providing means of getting educated. Education and empowerment make it possible to break away from the cycle of poverty and convert dreams into realities.
Legal Status
- XXXXXXXX is a voluntary social organization, registered under the Societies Registration Act, XXI of 1860 (No. S-40915 dated 27th November, 2001).
- XXXXXXXX has been registered under Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 1976 by the Ministry of Home Affairs Govt. of India No. II/21022/83(0196)/2007- FCRA-II dated 17th June, 2008 (Registration No. 231660888), for receiving foreign contributions.
- It has been granted registration under section-80G (5) (vi) of the Income Tax Act, 1961 by the Director of Income Tax (Exemptions), New Delhi No. DIT(E) 2009- 10/679 DEL – SE20108 -2162009
- The office of the Commissioner of Income Tax has also issued a Permanent Account Number (PAN) AAFTS8462A
- XXXXXXXX is registered u/s 12AA of the Income Tax Act, 1961
- XXXXXXXX has been granted accredation from Credibility Alliance for transparency and good
- XXXXXXXXis acting as a Coordinator, South Zone for National Youth Foundation.
Project Proposal: Skill to Succeed
About the Program
This program is aimed at empowering women through income generating activities. It is an integrated approach to train and develop women co-operatives and self-help groups. However more emphasis has been laid on the income generation activities mentioned below:
- Garment /Jute bag making
- Embroidery / Zardozi
- Computer Course
- Beauty culture
- Personality development/ English Speaking
Scope of the Project
In our country women suffer from being both economically weak and socially left out. Economic weakness stems from the perception that women are not relevant to wage and self- employment. Though for ages women they have been playing a very important and significant role, there is continued vulnerability and inequality in all sectors- economic, social, political, education, health care, nutrition and legal. There is a need to empower these women to counter this menace while strengthening women’s economic security.
The world conference of the UN Decade for Women defined development which includes development in politics, social, cultural and growth of the human persona. They opined that women’s development should not be viewed as an issue in social development but should be seen as an essential component in every dimension of development. Out of several approaches prescribed for empowerment of these women, the “Economic Empowerment Approach” which focuses on improving women’s control over material resources and strengthening women’s economic security is considered as an important approach.
Here in this approach groups are formed using two methods; 1) Organizing women around savings and credit, and 2) income generation, skill training activities or organizing them by occupation or location. These groups may work in a range of areas including savings and credit, training and skill development, new technologies of marketing as well as provide such ancillary support as child care, health, literacy and legal aid.
Women Development – Critical areas of concern
Women in our country suffer from being both economically and socially invisible. Social invisibility is a result of the general status of second-class citizens usually accorded to women. It is not surprising that development programmes which do not take into account the aspirations and participation of women, are not effective in achieving their objectives. The growing realization that women are not inarticulate, illiterate and ignorant objects of welfare, but are in fact, productive, hard working adults, who have coped with battle for survival from a very young age, makes their participation in the development process increasingly necessary and imperative.
The conditions or material state in which poor women live is characterized by low wages, poor nutrition, lack of access to health care, education and training. While receiving material benefits, women should not be deprived of their urge to achieve a better role, their will power to achieve a better quality of life and their commitment to an enhanced status in the family, community and society. But poverty is known to have driven countless women to low status, low paying occupations in domestic services and organized prostitution. In material terms also women and girl children in ultra-poor families are the worst sufferers, as the distribution of family resources under patriarchal system tends to be skewed against them.
It is a known fact that majority of women live in rural areas, urban slums and majority of women workers are engaged in informal sector with little or no regulation, legislative protection and trade union support. The down scaling of public sector, budgetary restraints and privatization effected women adversely, particularly through the reduction of subsidized welfare services.
There is also an increasing evidence of women entering home based sub-contract work, which almost denies them protection under labour laws and isolates them. At times, women have suffered a disproportionate reduction in labour, market opportunities under economic reforms especially in economies under transition. The vast majority of women work in self-employment outside the low paying trade and service activities. The major difficulty encountered by women in self-employment activities relates to access to credit market and technical skills. Customary laws and conventions in our country preclude women from claiming family assets.
Women have been playing very important and significant role in both urban and rural areas. We see that both in the organized and unorganized sectors of economy, women have been contributing substantially and yet very often their contribution goes unnoticed by both the family and society. Their work remains mostly invisible.
Poor women are engaged in a variety of occupations; small farms, agriculture, live stock trading, processing of livestock produce, gathering and processing of fruit produce, small trading and vending, producing manufactured items such as garments, bidis, shoes, food stuff etc. They also provide manual labour in fields, at construction sites, in factories and work sheds and providing services such as domestic help for washing, cleaning, transportation and child care etc. Yet their contribution is hardly identified.
These are a few areas of concern serving as beam light for the policy makers to evolve a number of interventions for their development.
Empowerment of Women- Strategies & Approach
Need for empowerment
There is continued inequality and vulnerability of women in all sectors – economic, social, political, education, health care, nutrition and legal. As women are oppressed in all spheres of life, they need to be empowered in all walks of life.
Components of women empowerment:
Empowerment of women is a process of awareness of capacity building, leading to a greater participation, to greater decision-making power. It would contain the following components.
- Awareness building about women’s situation, discrimination, rights and opportunities as a step towards gender equality. Collective awareness building provides a sense of group identity and the power of working as a group.
- Capacity building and skills development, especially the ability to plan, make decision, organize, manage and carryout income generation activities and to deal with people and institutions in the world around them.
- Participation and greater control and decision-making power in the home, community and society.
- Action to bring about greater equality between men and women.
Strategies and Approach
“Economic empowerment approach” which focuses on improving women’s control over material resources and strengthening their economic security is adopted in this Project. Bringing a group of women together at a base to become integral part of economic activity is an important strategy towards their empowerment. The women groups will be identified, motivated and their capacities will be appropriately enhanced through suitable training methodology and they will be motivated to take up an economic/income generation activity suiting to the local environment/resources.
Women empowerment – Policy and Institutional support
Till Sixth Plan, women were recipients of welfare services along with other weaker and handicapped sections. It is only in 1980’s that an emphasis has been laid on developmental issues concerning women empowerment and their participatory development. It was on the Sixth Plan for the first time, a chapter on women empowerment was added with due emphasis on the following four strategies:
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- Economic Independence,
- Educational Advancement,
- Access to health care and family planning and
- Income Supplementing.
Infrastructure and Institutional set-up
This project is aimed at undertaking the following activities
- Group identification
- Motivational campaigns
- Entrepreneurship development programmes
- Activity identification
- Launching
For accomplishing the above cited tasks, the project will be required to develop sound infrastructure and strong institutional capabilities to back it’s,
- Institutional network
- Training
- Production/income generation activity
The infrastructural requirements of the project may vary depending on the production programme/activity chosen for the purpose of income generation.
Organisation and man power
- The whole team of XXXXXXXX supported by the Founder Chairperson and General Secretary takes the complete responsibility of superintendence of the project. The project will be supported with a team of professionals led by a Project Leader.
- The programme is reviewed periodically by the Founder Chairperson and General Secretary of the implementing agency and necessary modifications are done (as and when required) to achieve the desired goals.
- We follow regular weekly, monthly and annual reporting system.
- Regular interaction with staff and stakeholders.
Approaches
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- Economic empowerment approach: It focuses on improving women’s control over material resources and strengthening women’s economic security. Groups are formed using these methods;
- ogies or marketing as well as provide such ancillary supports as child care, health services, literacy, legal education and aid.
- Self-realization approach: In this approach education is central and defined as a process of learning that leads to a new consciousness, self-esteem and access to skills and information. In this approach, the groups themselves determine their priorities. Women’s knowledge of their own bodies, reproduction is also considered vital.
- Female empowerment approach: It stresses the capacity of women to increase their self-reliance and internal strength. Women associations helping women fall within this category.
Approach adopted in this project
The economic empowerment approach with the four strategies of interventions; i.e., 1) collectivization, 2) capacity building, 3) ownership and control and 4) mediation, will be adopted in this project. Identification of women, motivation and formulation of self-help groups, inculcating the habit of the savings and credit, formation of women co-operative, selection of income generation activities like garment making and food processing is a part of this proposal. A detailed programme planning and methodology is given.
Indicators of Achievement
- Qualitative indicators
- Increase in self-esteem, individual and collective confidence.
- Increase in articulation, knowledge and awareness levels, on issues affecting the community at large and women in particular.
- Increase or decrease in personal leisure time and time for child care.
- Increase/decrease in work loads of women as a result of new initiatives.
- Change in roles and responsibility in the family and community.
- Visible decrease in domestic violence.
- Responses to, and changes in social customs.
- Visible changes in women participation levels, increase in bargaining power of the women as an individual in the home and community.
- Increased access to the knowledge/information of the project.
- Positive change in social attitudes.
- Awareness and recognition of women’s economic contribution within and outside household.
- Quantitative indicators
- Demographic trends
- Maternal/mortality rates
- Fertility rates
- Sex ratio
- Life expectancy
- Average age of marriage
- Number of women participating in different development
- Greater access and control over community resources and government
- Visible changes in physical health/status/nutrition
- Changes in literacy
- Participation level of women in political process.
Components
- Awareness and training
- Collectivization
- Capacity building
- Launching of income generations activities
- Marketing
- Welfare
- Making them self-reliant
Project Planning
This project is an integrated approach for empowerment of women through income generation activities and is intended to address the following areas.
- Social
- Technological
- Financial
- Marketing
- Welfare
The detailed action plan on various activities proposed to be undertaken is given hereunder.
Social
- Socio-economic assessment and bench marking
Objectives
- Identification of potential beneficiaries
- Identification of right income generation activity suiting to the local resources.
- Evolving appropriate intervention strategy
- Identification of potential stake holders and development partners
- Partner interaction, advocacy and sensitization.
Strategies
Apart from identifying the right beneficiaries with entrepreneurship pursuits, extreme care will be taken to identify the right development partners like social workers, local government, local bank, NABARD etc. will be involved for advocating the cause of women empowerment and sensitizing them about the needs and support from these organizations in future development.
Women Empowerment
The following activities forms part of this programme.
- Motivational campaigns by forming many self-help groups each consisting of 25 women will be formed into a group and encourage them to adopt group culture and organizing themselves for saving regularly and convert their savings into a common fund which can be used along with grant-in-aid and loan for sustainable development.
- Organising entrepreneurship development programmes with the assistance of various expert institutions like Entrepreneurship Development Institutes (EDI), (National Institute of Small Industry Extension Training (NISIET), Small Industries Service Institute (SISI), National Institute for Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development (NIESBUD), and motivating the groups to take up income generation activities.
- Formation of women co-operatives.
- Linkage with development prtners.
Broader Objectives
The broader objectives of this programme are to inculcate group culture, collective approach amongst the women and encouraging them to form self- help groups with thrift and credit for lateral entry into a more organized co-operative society. Regular inputs like entrepreneurship development programmes, tailor-made product cum process development programmes will be provided to enhance the inherent entrepreneurship capabilities and motivating the women to take up income generation activities.
Sensitization programmes for advocating the cause of women empowerment and sensitizing the development partners accordingly, will be organized. A women co-operative society will be formed to provide a broad organizational structure and legal entity which in turn enhances the bargaining power of the women in the society.
Location:
This project is supposed to be located in South, South East Delhi and Gujarat having moderate access to the basic infrastructure like transport, communication, local governance, access to market etc.
Organisational Setup
The implementing agency will provide all necessary support like arranging preliminary market survey, market tie-ups, product design, standardization, packing etc., through common services centre which will run as affiliate to the women co- operative society.
The implementing agency will assist all the members of women co-operative to procure all required infrastructure, machinery and material.
The implementing agency will establish a training-cum-production centre equipped with garment making. It will arrange for initial training to selective women members to handle the operation of machinery and equipment, production processes etc., who in turn will provide training to other women beneficiaries.
The training cum production centre will be equipped with the following activities. Garment making, Jute Bag making and Embroidery items
Duration
The duration of the programme is 36 months from the date of starting of the project and the implementing agency is expected to complete all the tasks scheduled in the project plan, within this time frame. Later, the control and administration of the project will be transferred to the women co-operative society.
