500 Plus Rural Women Micro-Entrepreneurs Raise Their Game Via Internet Saathi Accelerator
Delivered completely online, the Accelerator offers mentorship, digital skilling and unconditional community support.
In early 2020, Google and Bain & Company brought out “Powering The Economy With Her”, an in-depth report, supported by SHEROES and other partners. The report spotlighted key interventions needed to help India’s women entrepreneurs to upskill, network and grow, across the spectrum of sectors, geographies and hierarchies.
Mentorship, digital skilling, and access to financial knowledge, credit and community, were some of the key points mentioned in the context of rural small business owners, solopreneurs and agri-preneurs. Even with the existence of offline programmes, schemes and networks, this segment is deeply underserved, and scalability is a challenge.
A Women’s Internet For Micro-Entrepreneurs
Over the last few years, SHEROES has curated an ecosystem offering all these elements and more, via platform and community. The aim is to help existing and aspiring micro-entrepreneurs, learn and earn. These efforts were further accelerated during the pandemic.
In December 2020, something even more phenomenal happened.
The Internet Saathi Accelerator was launched by SHEROES in partnership with Google’s iconic Internet Saathi programme to support 500 plus women-micro entrepreneurs across multiple states.
Delivered completely online, the 6-month programme is hosted in six languages (Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Marathi, Bangla).
Mentorship, digital and financial skilling, and community engagement are core ingredients.
The Saathis are divided into multiple cohorts and every cohort has a mentor to guide and inspire them, and a facilitator aka buddy, to support and be both friend and cheerleader. Mentors and buddies are Champions and super users from the SHEROES community.
Here’s a snapshot of some growth stories emerging from the early days of the Accelerator, with many more to come.
A Desire To Take Charge
Tara Mahato, a Saathi from Seraikela, Jharkhand runs a grocery store with her husband, which earns an average income of INR 1,500 per month.
She had a great desire to increase her family’s income, and was keen to learn new skills and express her creativity.
Her cohort’s buddy Narayani introduced Tara to jewellery making YouTube tutorials. She learnt how to create the product, while also connecting with fellow Saathi Geeta Devi, owner of a medical store, who previously owned an imitation jewellery business.
Geeta Devi helped Tara understand the business side of things, and also referred a supplier from Ranchi. With this support, Narayani was able to source the materials she needed to get her business going.
With help from both Geeta and Narayani, she designed small posters, which she was able to share online and offline.
In Sarita Sinha, founder of Mehndi Cultr, Tara was able to find a mentor who helped build her confidence and online marketing skills.
Tara now markets her products through three channels - online, at the local bazaar and through her own grocery shop.
Through her new business, Tara was able to raise her family’s monthly income by 15 %, learn new skills and become a more digitally-savvy micro-preneur.
Embracing Tech For Growth
Jothilakshmi, a micro-entrepreneur from Namakkal district, TamilNadu, runs two small businesses, a beauty parlour and a tailoring business.
She has been running her businesses for the past eight years, and has three employees working for her. But had never leveraged digital to expand her business.
After a few sessions of the Accelerator with her mentor Padmini Janaki, Jothilakshmi was curious the digital tools she was exposed to. Her buddy ayatri introduced her to new ideas.
Using Whatsapp and Whatsapp video, Jothilakshmi asked her client did an online consult for a client who wanted a blouse made for her.
Measurements were exchanged and the payment was made online, and the product was delivered to the client’s doorstep.
Partnering Up
One of the most amazing outcomes of any programme — be it an MBA, an incubator or an accelerator is the opportunity to network and seek our co-conspirators in the cohort. Two Saathis Hemalatha and Sumalatha partnered up on realising they has complementary businesses.
Hemalatha who hails from Godavari district, Andhra Pradesh, has built her saree dyeing and roll polishing business over the last five years. She has three employees working for her.
Sumalatha, a micro-entrepreneur from Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh, connected with Hemalatha through the accelerator.
She placed an order for sarees worth INR 25,000, to sell in and around her district.
“I am very thankful to Saritha Garu and my mentor Ramya Rao madam for always guiding me. The ISA program helped me to connect with Hemalatha, and start my own business”
Sumalatha, Internet Saathi
Paying It Forward
While growing one’s own business is a core focus of the Saathis, the community spirit is a by-product of the journey by virtue of the programme design.
Every cohort of Saathis has a buddy from the SHEROES community, and a mentor, also from the SHEROES community, who play key roles in the programme. However, the Saathis themselves are stepping up to support each other, collaborate, network and grow their community engagement.
Bharati Allam, a micro-entrepreneur from Andhra Pradesh, has been running a paper plate business for the last four years. A number of Saathis displayed an interest in knowing about it. Encouraged by her mentor Mrinalini and supported by Buddy Vaidehi, a virtual meet was facilitated to enable Saathis from AP and Telangana to attend, and listen to Bharati’s entrepreneurial journey.
Through her online session, the Saathis learnt about the business, its challenges and future opportunities.
Post the session, Saathi Sridevi from Anantapur district, Andhra Pradesh started her own paper plate manufacturing business, and supplies her product to wholesalers in the trade. Sridevi is now building her enterprise it with the support of her mentor Padmaja Konisetti, buddy Shilpa and fellow Saathis.
“It is very innovative that this whole accelerator programme is being done via Whatsapp and Video Calls, and in the local language. Bharati is one of the most accomplished business owners in my cohort, and it is super inspiring to see her share her business ideas with fellow Saathis. The whole idea of peer learning facilitated by buddies and mentors comes together beautifully in this exchange of business ideas! More power to women like Bharati and Sridevi,” shares Bharati’s mentor Mrinalini Shastry — Founder & CEO of Six Yards Plus.
As more and more women micro-entrepreneurs receive the support they need, India’s economy will become a more inclusive one, with technology, community and mentorship playing major roles in the transformation.
In turn, millions of women will grow their identity and finances. They will help raise the national GDP, and help create a better future for themselves and their families.
This blog was curated with inputs from Priyanka Bajaj, Project Manager at SHEROES.
Also don’t miss: How The Glow & Lovely Community on SHEROES is fuelling women’s dreams!
SHEROES, the women-only social network is a safe, constructive, high-empathy, high-trust online ecosystem for women to engage and chase dreams. It offers communities, a chat-based counsellng helpline, champions, resources, opportunities, credit opportunities, a reproductive health tracker and a social commerce marketplace. It is accessible via Sheroes.com and the SHEROES app
