Swabhimaani

Empowering Women Entrepreneurs to Build, Brand, Market and Grow.

Swabhimaani — a name that means self-respect — is our programme for the women of this community who run a business of their own, or intend to.

Women in this community run businesses from kitchens, spare rooms and shopfronts, often alongside everything else they carry. This programme exists because the obstacles are different, and so is the help that works.

What you get

  • Mentoring from women in the community who are already running ventures
  • Skill workshops — pricing, selling online, accounts, dealing with suppliers
  • A peer group that meets regularly, so the work is not done alone
  • Help with registration and the schemes specifically open to women-led businesses

Who it is for

Any woman in the Odia community in Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Thane or Kalyan running a venture, or seriously intending to start one. Scale does not matter — a tiffin service counts as much as a registered company.

Join

Tell us about your venture, or the one you are thinking of starting. Every application is read by a volunteer, and somebody will come back to you.

Worth giving. Since we cannot email you, this is how we will reach you.

Leave blank if it does not have a name yet. That is not a problem.

In your own words. There is no right answer and nobody is marking it.

What happens to this. Your name, email, any phone number and what you have written are stored on this website so a volunteer can help you. None of it is published and we do not pass it to anyone else. Read our privacy policy.

You will not receive a confirmation email — this website cannot send them yet. A volunteer will telephone you.

Ask about the programme

To confirm. Add real success stories, with the women’s consent, and the schedule of workshops. Named examples are what persuade someone to come to a first meeting.