SEVAI: Microenterprises contribute significantly to economic growth, social stability and equity.

JLG in dress designing in Sirugamani

JLGs, the Joint Liability Groups promoted by SEVAI are involved in SEVAI target areas for micro enterprise development for improving the livelihood of the poor women in rural areas. Training manual has been prepared for the holistic development of Micro enterprises among the rural poor women as inclusive approach of women on developing enterprises that contribute to job creation. Micro enterprises are Street venders, carpenters, machine shop operators and peasant farmers, micro entrepreneurs come in all types, and their businesses in many sizes. This diverse group requires a variety of support to grow and improve. Many of these women and their employees are poor and have limited access to services. Small Enterprise Development Program works to strengthen entrepreneurial management skills through capacity building and training resources that foster adoption of good workplace practices in micro-, small enterprises. In the area of management training, SEVAI has training tools that cover the whole spectrum of target groups, from micro entrepreneurs to growth oriented small scale entrepreneurs. Women-owned businesses make up one of the fastest growing segments of micro enterprise. Increased income in the hands of women is invested in health, education and housing for their families. As micro entrepreneurs, women not only make a huge contribution to rural income, but they also create reliable social safety nets for their families

Pottery Production

and communities. At the entrepreneurship development level, a key role of the programme is to develop tools and programmes that deal with the long term effects of entrepreneurial culture. In this regard, SEVAI has developed a practical tool that addresses the challenge of women towards the creation of an enterprise culture in society by promoting awareness among young women of the opportunities and challenges of entrepreneurship and self-employment, and of their role in shaping their future and that of their villages’ economic and social development. SEVAI seeks to promote an enterprise culture for better livelihoods for higher productivity and sustained competitiveness of enterprises. SEVAI Training manual provides a number of interventions which are important to the growth and expansion of micro businesses which includes training interventions. The training program of SEVAI covers the access to services such as marketing, training in basic business skills, and technology transfer to micro entrepreneurs. –Kris.