BY Dr. R.K. Singh, GM, SIDBI

First point of contact in everyone’s life journey is mother who is also a daughter, sister and wife. She is a homemaker who nurtures the children and has significant influence in the family, especially the child. SIDBI has been proactive in supporting the unserved/underserved segments. After adoption of SIDBI vision 2.0, bank has started inclusive, impactful and innovative engagements viz. Udyam Abhilasha, Swavalamban Silai Schools (HOMEPRENEURS), Udyam Sangyan (Exposure visits), Management Development Programme (MDP), Swavalamban Bazaars (HUNARPRENEURS), Swavalamban Role Models, Swavalamban Connect Kendras, Bamboo project, Micro Enterprises Promotion Programme (MEPP), MahilaUdyamiSashaktikaran Program (MICROPRENEURS),etc. catering to economically and socially deprived classes/segments/population with thrust on women empowerment. SIDBI has touched the lives of more than 30,000 women through various engagements during the last three years. Out of various initiatives some of most impactful women centric engagements are MAHILA UDYAMI SASHAKTIKARAN PROGRAM and SWAVALAMBAN SILAI SCHOOL.

MAHILA UDYAMI SASHAKTIKARAN PROGRAM (MUSP):

Bank under MUSP has supported setting/stepping-up of more than 9,000 women-led microenterprises (MICROPRENEURS) in Ghazipur and Varanasi districts of U.P though end-to-end intervention involvingbusiness skills and financial literacy trainings, handholding, credit and market connect.Under the program 15000 plus women received capacity building support on basic enterprise management skills, more than 9000 were credit and market linked and provided with regular handholding support. The program concluded with organizing of Swavalamban Utsav at Varanasi that featured products of 100 women entrepreneurs from the program. The 2-day event was attended by 5000+ visitors and registered total sales of Rs.4.17 lakhs with increased average sales of Rs.6,000/- per day per entrepreneur. These micropreneurscelebrated the occasion with positivity for being entrepreneurs thus motivating aspirants to respect their zeal, enthusiasm and look up to them as role models.

 

USHA SWAVALAMBAN SILAI SCHOOL:

 

In order to encourage rural womento venture into entrepreneurshipfor their economic enablement, Bank has partnered with USHA Social Servicesto set up 1000 USHA SwavalambanSilai Schools in villages of 10 districts of five states viz. Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Rajasthan and Telangana in one year.The initiative after commencing in September2019 has completed in February 2020 thereby creating 1000 homepreneurs within a span of only 5 months. Under the initiative women are provided 7 days training (capsuled 3 months programme which is conducted residentially) on various aspects of stitching, designs, along with maintenance and repairing of sewing machine.Aspiring women are handed over with the sewing machine in packed form on the very first of training which starts there and then – from unpacking, assembling it, knowing its different parts and so on. The women entrepreneur successfully completing the training program becomes owner of sewing machine (leg paddle driven) and is handed over a certificate, a training manual andmachine kit. These women trainers known as master trainers then sets up the Silaischool at their homes (Homepreneur)and motivates, starts teaching / training other community women to establish their own Silai schools. In addition to fee-based income, they also start earning through job-work, repair, designing, etc.

It is expected that each Homepreneur, will help setting up at least 2 schools in a year, thus creating a ‘multiplier effect’ thereby resulting in rural employment generation and sustainable livelihood. Family members/society shall pick the entrepreneurial culture from these inspirational homepreneurs. The multiplier effect is being seen on ground as these 1000 homepreneurs have already enrolled about 3200 learners in four months’ time.The broad aim of the initiative is to induce / instil entrepreneurship culture in the family. Few samples under the initiative have revealed that orientation of families has started from being jobseekers to job-creators. Under this initiative so far a total of 1000 rural women have been trained and 1000 Silaischools have been set-up (homepreneurs) in 952 villages of 70 blocks of 10 districts spread across 5 states.About 59% of Silaischool set-up belong to women hailing from Below Poverty Line category and about 50% of Silai school set-up belong to women from SC/ST category. The average monthly income of master trainers/homepreneurs/Swavalambi women has increased from Rs.2,500/- per month to Rs.3,800/- per month in the last 4 months. The average monthly income from training / teaching fee has increased from Rs.600/- to Rs.1,500/- during four months-time while average job-work income has increased from Rs.900/- to Rs. 1,800/- during the same period. The 1000 master trainers/homepreneurs/Swavalambi women have cumulatively earned more than Rs.50 lakhs in four months from SwavalambanSilai schools with the highest monthly earning up to Rs.15,000/- per month.

In order to take this homepreneurs to next level of empowerment, it is planned to on-board some of the upcoming homepreneurs on e-commerce portal such as Government e-Marketplace.To connect with designer schools, participation in Swavalamban Melas are being organizedacross India. Also, efforts are underway to connect them to institutions by organising programmes to motivate them to use cloth bags/materials. The initiative is expected to go a long way in enhancing social standing and recognition of rural women within the families / society without leaving their homes.