Women Entrepreneurship

"Women are the largest untapped reservoir of the talent in the world" – Hilary Clinton

At Avendus as a part of our CSR we believe that it is important to unlock the entrepreneurship potential of the women from marginalized backgrounds. Through our CSR initiatives we create mechanisms for economic empowerment and driving development. We work with NGO partners across states in Maharashtra and Karnataka and create an impact for shaping women entrepreneurship through career counseling, vocational training, and skills development.

We have empowered more than 15,000 women in the areas of handicrafts and agro-based industries.

Our NGO Partners

Kherwadi Social
Welfare Association

Vrutti – Livelihood Impact Partners

Swayam Shikshan
Prayog

Collective Goods Foundation

Our Projects

Project with Kherwadi Social Welfare Association

Kherwadi Social Welfare Association is a nonprofit organization in India. KSWA aims to restore the Upliftment of underprivileged youth in India. The organization was established in 1928. It offers different vocational training programs for underprivileged youth and women. Avendus has partnered with the Kherwadi Social Welfare Association to create women entrepreneurs to increase their income by providing livelihoods and improve women's action in self-sustainability for personal and community development through skill development, social development, and financial and business development in the Maharashtra region.

Project with Vrutti

It is a nonprofit organization that has been working in the social impact space for over 23 years as part of the Catalyst Group and has made a difference in the lives and livelihoods of over a million poor and marginalized individuals and households. Vrutti works through an ecosystem approach, integrating and delivering end-to-end services that empower small producers to graduate from poverty and uncertainty and become three times more profitable. Avendus has partnered with Vrutti to provide training on developing nano enterprises for beauty professionals for women in Maharashtra, Chennai, and Bangalore regions.

Project with Industree Foundation

Industree Foundation works towards upskilling rural women artisans and helps them connect with national and global markets. Through their interventions, they have impacted over 500,000 producers in the last 20 years and have created markets worth USD 58 Million. Avendus partnered with Industree Foundation to create an impact on women's entrepreneurship through Bamboo Value chain in Karanataka region.

Project with Swayam Shikshan Prayog

Swayam Shikshan Prayog (SSP) is a non-governmental organization based in Pune, India. It was co-founded by Prema Gopalan and Sheela Patel in 1998 and aims to support female entrepreneurs in areas such as agriculture, health, and sanitation. Its work has been recognized by the United Nations Development Programme and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Avendus supports SSP for their women entrepreneurship project in Maharashtra region through supporting dairy and Agri entrepreneurship initiatives.

Project with Deshpande Foundation

Established in 1996 in Karnataka by Dr. Gururaj (Desh) and Jayshree Deshpande to accelerate the creation of sustainable and scalable enterprises that have significant social and economic impact. Foundation has large-scale projects in the United States and India. It aims at promoting entrepreneurship and innovation at grassroot level as catalysts for change. Avendus has been supported Deshpande Foundation for the food cluster project to support for dehydration machines in Karnataka region.

Project with Collective Goods Foundation (An initiative of Samhita)

Collective Good Foundation (CGF) provides comprehensive project implementation solutions for the development sector. They work closely with companies, non-profits, and foundations to address some of the most challenging issues in health care, education, Water, Sanitation & Hygiene (WASH), and women's empowerment. Avendus has partnered with them for to empower the women through returnable grant model project in Maharashtra region.

Contact us

For CSR related queries, email us at

priya.beck@avendus.com