Seed Grant Distribution to Empower Rural Women

In a bid to empower rural women and promote entrepreneurship, the Mukti organization has distributed seed grants to 200 women across various villages in West Bengal. This initiative, part of the SWAS 2.0 project, aims to help women trained in various trades to kickstart their own businesses.
On 28th January 2025, seed grants were handed out to 50 beneficiaries from Joynagar and 50 from Radhakantapur, both of whom are part of cooperatives formed by the respective Mukti Community Development Funds (MCDFs). Women in Joynagar, skilled in soft toy making, received financial support to begin their own businesses. Similarly, beneficiaries in Radhakantapur, trained in making traditional Shola sets, were given the resources to set up their ventures.
On 30th January 2025, seed grants were distributed in Ramganga and Sonatikari, where another 100 women were supported. In Ramganga, 50 beneficiaries, trained in soft toy making, received grants to start their businesses, while women in Sonatikari, specializing in Shola set making, also received seed funding.
Each of these cooperatives was formed to support women from rural areas, who, despite acquiring valuable trade skills, face financial barriers when it comes to launching their own enterprises. The seed grant is a crucial step in providing these women the means to transform their training into a livelihood.
The SWAS 2.0 project, led by Mukti, focuses on the socio-economic empowerment of women through vocational training and business support. By offering seed grants, the project aims to create sustainable livelihood opportunities for rural women, enabling them to become financially independent and contribute to the local economy.
The seed grant program is set to benefit not only the women receiving grants but also their families and local communities, fostering entrepreneurship and creating new economic opportunities in some of the most underserved areas of West Bengal.

 

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