Women have been at the heart of Aatapi Seva Foundation’s work this year. Across Ankleshwar, Jambusar, and Gajera, women are moving beyond household roles toward economic independence by learning enterprise skills like bag-making, tailoring, beauty services, and managing Self-Help Groups. These initiatives build leadership, confidence, and decision-making capacity, while encouraging women to participate in household finances, local governance, and community decisions. Programmes such as ASMITA, Garima, LEDP, and Ujaas combine skill-building, financial literacy, and market exposure to create sustainable opportunities for women and their communities.

A. Livelihood Enterprise Development Programme (LEDP)

The LEDP, supported by NABARD, equips women with enterprise skills and supports sustainable income generation. During this period, 88 women from SHGs in five villages received training in cotton and jute bag-making. After training, 69 women (81%) started businesses, investing ₹4.10 lakhs in machinery and equipment. Their average monthly income increased from ₹1,000–₹1,500 to ₹3,500–₹4,500, improving household financial security and strengthening entrepreneurial confidence.

 

B. Project Garima

Project Garima, implemented in Akhod village with support from Technip Energies, helps women transform traditional tailoring into market-oriented enterprises. The project engaged 37 women in skill-building and collective production, generating ₹16,84,325 in revenue and a collective income of ₹4,54,182. It also created strong savings and corpus funds while securing corporate orders, including a ₹21,295 order from Technip Energies’ Noida office, strengthening women’s enterprise skills and market linkages.

 

C. Nykaa Beauty Project

The vision for agriculture goes beyond higher yields to focus on resilience, ecological care, and economic stability. Small and marginal farmers in Jambusar Block are learning to treat their fields as ecosystems that support life and livelihoods. Through programmes like Solaris, BAF, and collaborations with the Farmer Producer Organisation, farmers are adopting climate-smart techniques and integrated farming practices. Women-led model farms and waste management initiatives are encouraging sustainable agriculture and a circular economy approach while improving farmers’ livelihoods.

 

D. ASMITA (Ankleshwar, Jambusar, Gajera)

The ASMITA programme strengthens women-led SHGs and promotes diverse livelihood opportunities across Ankleshwar, Jambusar, and Gajera. More than 278 SHGs mobilized savings of ₹1.38 crore, while 447 women accessed loans totaling ₹128.28 lakh to start activities such as animal husbandry, petty trade, and small enterprises. The programme also provided skill training in soap making, tailoring, and decorative products, helping women expand income sources and strengthen their role in household and community decisions.

 

E. Ujaas Women’s Cooperative

Ujaas, a women-led cooperative with over 3,300 members, promotes financial independence and reduces reliance on informal credit. The cooperative has mobilized total savings of ₹1.51 crore and disbursed loans worth ₹5.35 crore, supporting enterprise development and debt relief for women. It also encourages peer learning, leadership, and collective problem-solving, strengthening women’s economic empowerment in rural communities.

 

F. Tailoring & Beauty Training – PGP (Partition Centre & Skill Centre)

The Skill Development Centre at Gajera provides training in tailoring and beauty services for women. During this period, 32 women were trained in Basic Beautician skills and 21 in Basic Tailoring. Out of them, 27 women started home-based work, collectively generating ₹60,700 in income over three months. The initiative builds vocational skills while encouraging self-reliance and local entrepreneurship.

 

Voices from the Field

“Earlier, I depended on daily wage work and had no savings. Through the ASMITA Self Help Group program and cotton bag making training facilitated under it, I now earn ₹4,500 per month from home. I manage my own income and take financial decisions for my family.”

Sunitaben Parmar, SHG Entrepreneur, Jambusar Block