What are association promoting Women Entrepreneur in India?

What are association promoting Women Entrepreneur in India?

Ans:   Associations Promoting Women Entrepreneur

A brief analysis of various associations and agencies that are functioning at state and national levels to promote women entrepreneurs is made for reference.

1.      Self-Help Groups (SHGs)

          This is an association of small group of self-employed rural or urban women entrepreneurs who join together to take care of group welfare. The group with the help of financial institutions and other NGOs get their needs satisfied. This is voluntary association. Each member contributes little amount to cover seed money. Rest will be taken care off by FIs or NG0s. Governments also provide funds through FIs. In Karnataka “Stree Shakti” scheme of Government of Karnataka is providing funds for women entrepreneurs through FIs for the last four years.

As discussed so far, to start a small enterprise by women is ` 1 lakh to ` 10 lakhs. In rural parts, today, women form small groups called SGH’s and through this group, they avail services required for their activities. They share the platform for satisfying their personal needs. Thus SHG is a small, economically homogenous group which is voluntary in nature, to share the facilities equally between members.

All the member of SHG have to be active, attend all meetings and discuss the programmes and problems. In the initial stages every member has to get training from the identified trainers in their areas of activity. The funds will be provided by members as well as supporting institutions such as NGOs, funding agencies or governments.

SHGs provide facilities to its members in the form of loan or raw material for production or skilled labor etc. These associations are helping small women entrepreneurs to start and develop home-based business. Women belonging to weaker sections of the society have been greatly benefited in their entrepreneural activities.

2.      Federation of Indian Women Entrepreneurs (FIWE)

FIWE is the outcome of resolution passed in 4th International Conference Women Entrepreneurs held at Hyderabad. This was founded in 1993. It mainly interacts with various women associations of the country through a network to facilitate the members in diversified activities.

Activities of FIWE are as follows:

•      To provide network facilities to women entrepreneurs in the country and abroad to develop their business.
•      To provide facilities to member associations in the areas of marketing, quality control, export management, standardisation etc. The Federation also provides training facilities in these areas.
•      Facilitates the member associations to participate in national and International conference, fairs, exhibitions, to provide greater exposure to women entrepreneurs in local, regional, national and global business environment and provide an access to various business opportunities available.
•      Provides facilities to expand the business of members and of member associations. It may be new project or extension of the existing business. Every type requires help for such activity is extended.
•      Women entrepreneurs can easily access the latest technologies relating to their business through FIWE. Easy availability of know how itself is a boon to WEs.
•      Other facilities such as providing new business opportunities facilitating financial needs of members, better management of business enterprises etc., are also provided.

3.      Women’s India Trust (WTI)

This trust was established in 1968. The promoter Kamila Tyabji made a small beginning with two shops in Mumbai and a training and production centre at Panvel. The trust was started with the main objective of helping women entrepreneurs.

Encouraged by the growth of the activities of the trust, it further extended its activities which are as follows.

•      Establishing Kamila Trust in UK in 1994 to market the products of WTI members. The trust made its beginning by selling the products from door to door and then opened a shop in London under the name “KASHI”. Encouraged by its success in London, WIT extended the export activities to Australia, Europe and Germany from 1995 onwards.
•      Has started educational programme in “Nursing” and Kindergarten training.
•      Has plans to launch computer training for women.