Empowering rural women: These organisations are showing the way

As the pandemic continues to rage in the country, our economy has taken a massive hit, with thousands of people getting laid off every day. Unemployment rates are at an all-time high and the most affected are the people from rural areas, especially women.

A bigger problem comes to light when you go down this rabbit hole–skill development. It is the need of the hour according to data from the India Skills Report 2019. It reflects that a high percentage of the workforce is poorly skilled. In fact, only 4.69% of India’s employed population qualify as skilled workers.

Hence, upskilling the majority is of utmost importance, particularly when it comes to rural women who have lost their jobs or are unable to find one. Many social organisations have undertaken the task of training and preparing them for employment. Here are a few of them.

Neev

Founded by Aditi Diwan in 2015, Neev is an NGO based in Madhya Pradesh. The organisation’s main aim is to help women from underprivileged families earn money by becoming self-sufficient. They help upskill women with art and sewing skills, which they can then use to sell bedsheets, sarees, bags, photo frames, and other home decor items. Neev also helps women enroll their children in school, thereby increasing the literacy rate in villages.

Quantum Career Academy

What started as a small skill enhancement centre is today helping countless women prisoners and army widows start a new life. Quantum Career Academy was started by Shipra Bhutani, who realised that what her students learned in the classroom wasn’t enough to get a job in the real world. So, she started training them in industry-relevant skills such as digital marketing and web designing. Today, the academy has over 40 centres across the country, imparting vocational, beautician, and cooking training to rural women. It also has an e-commerce platform called ‘Aashayein - The Jail Shop’ where women prisoners can earn money by selling their handmade products.

SEWA Bharat

Established in 1972, the Self-Employed Women’s Association (SEWA) movement began as a women’s trade union in Gujarat, under the guidance of Ela Bhatt. SEWA’s skill development programmes have helped over 10,000 women become self-reliant. They train women in marketing, hospitality, sales, housekeeping, and computers. SEWA Bharat was established in 1984 to address problems in geographical expansion. It has today resulted in SEWA centres across Rajasthan, Gujarat, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh, Delhi, Bihar, West Bengal, and Kerala. 

Apne Aap Women Worldwide

Founded by Ruchira Gupta, Apne Aap Women Worldwide is an organisation that helps victims of sex trafficking and children in Delhi, Kolkata, Bihar, and other parts of India. The organisation creates a self-sustainable ecosystem for women by training them in making scarves, bags, and jewellery. It also links them to the government’s anti-poverty programme, giving them access to birth certificates, education, housing, and healthcare. Recently, the organisation started 1MillionMeals, a ration distribution initiative that saved millions of marginalised families during the pandemic. It’s still going strong given the uncertainty that lies ahead.