Women Empowerment

Women’s empowerment is a cross-cutting theme at Shashwat, shaping every aspect of its work in rural Uttar Pradesh. The organisation nurtures women’s self-help groups to strengthen their social and economic confidence. Members, mostly from deprived communities, receive training in financial management, credit limits and record-keeping, enabling them to take up income-generating activities and access formal financial services. SHGs have become vibrant centres of learning where women openly discuss education, health, NREGA, BPL entitlements and local governance.

Shashwat also focuses on literacy for adult women through dedicated centres that help them read, write and manage basic arithmetic. These skills have boosted their confidence, participation in community institutions and ability to make informed decisions at home.

For adolescent girls and young women, the vocational training centres provide stitching, livelihood skills and life skills, helping them pursue self-reliance and better livelihood opportunities. Through these layered interventions, Shashwat is enabling women and girls to move towards greater dignity, agency and leadership.