Company profile: Swayam Shikshan Prayog (SSP), meaning Self Education for Empowerment, is a learning and development organization in Mumbai. SSP translates its mission by providing technical support and access to social and economic opportunities and promoting community driven entities and forging partnerships with institutional actors.  Today, SSP combined operations in ten of the most disaster prone districts in Maharashtra, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu and partner with over 5,000 Self Help Groups with 60,000 women members.  SSP is promoting rural “social enterprise” by partnering with it’s network of grassroots of women in the self help group network. These social enterprises centrally involve women entrepreneurs who have survived disasters after the Latur and Gujarat earthquakes (1993 and 2001 and tsunami 2004 respectively). With the facilitation of SSP, networks of rural women entrepreneurs now earn sustainable incomes in retail businesses in renewable home energy products in partnership with BP Energy, food essentials and health funds with others.   SSP stimulates enabling business environments through it’s bouquet of incubation and business development services that aligns networks of women entrepreneurs, village institutions, and corporations to launch profitable enterprises that are governed by a triple bottom line:

• Financial – Everyone in the value chain makes a profit.
• Environmental – All enterprises are rooted in the principles of clean, renewable energy.
• Social – All businesses fortify the development of village communities and ensure inclusion of debutant entrepreneurs in networks of financial and social capital.

Sakhi Group of Social Enterprises : 1. SSP has nurtured 850 women retail entrepreneurs in as many rural communities, through its Sakhi Retail Co. in rural Maharashtra. For the Sakhi the village level entrepreneur it has ensured more than 33% income growth in the last year alone. A social enterprise based on revenue model, it has partnered with BP Energy to co-develop stoves and clean fuel, and now sells, markets, and distributes biomass stoves to 60,000 households across rural Maharastra. The grassroots women network trained to act as marketers, offer after sales service and “below-the-line” advertisers in one.
2. Through Sakhi Samudaya Kosh its community driven micro finance entity, SSP has launched over 16,000 women in start up self employment in agriculture, dairy and small trades and businesses. Turnover of micro finance operations are up to Rs. 140 million over the last two years alone.
3. Setting up a Rural B- School, building and training micro -entrepreneurs and starting an Incubator for rural enterprises to enhance opportunities for women and young girls are key goals of the entity SSEN Sakhi Social Enterprise Network launched recently.
4. The Sakhi Community Health Trust Fund an initiative for rural families with low access to affordable health to benefit from cashless health insurance and doorstep health services resulting in improved health security. SSP fostered a community driven Health Trust and partnered with SIS Swasth India Services an for profit health venture to co develop both products and mechanisms that will reach out preventive health services  and provide hospital cover together with insurance companies.

All operations launched by SSP are premised on 4 Cs:

• Customer- focus – Customers/Members drive the integrated value chain.
• Capacity Building – Women entrepreneurs train at all levels to be successful at business and leading social initiatives.
• Connectivity –Women entrepreneurs’ are linked to their networks and are empowered
• Community Impact – Social enterprises work on lowering costs, stabilizing business models. This is done by first providing decent incomes to entrepreneurs, re-investing even minimum profits and promoting social change.

Organizational strengths:The key strength of SSP is its close connections to and knowledge of the local communities and the social network and trust relationships with communities over 1,300 villages. Most of the teams are locally recruited and grassroots women are both trainers and leaders of the Federations and actively participate by investing in and providing valuable feedback for effectiveness of the enterprises.  SSP’s network is known for expertise in health, water, sanitation, and building disaster resilience. With strengthened training and infrastructure, the SSP network itself could be an invaluable partner to government, businesses and organizations hoping to reach households.

Volunteer service:

Desired volunteer profile:

• We are looking for volunteers experienced and/or qualified in business management, social development and interested in social entrepreneurship and development.
• The volunteer should demonstrate an interest in gaining hands-on working experience with base of the pyramid initiatives in retailing opportunities, developing product distribution networks, microfinance and business related IT applications.

Job profile:

• Social Impact Assessment / Feedback studies of the SSP promoted Sakhi Social Enterprises
• Market research for new products and financial services
• Documenting business processes and suggestions for improvements.
• Preparing strategic/business plans
• Study and document credit risk analysis
• Promotional materials – newsletters, video clips, articles and case studies for website, etc.
• Website content editing and design modification

Stipend: Unpaid ( SSP will take care of the actual expenses of the volunteer’s travel to and from the field and food and accommodation while in the field.)

Duration: For three months minimum. Joining date can be any day of the year

Location: Mumbai (The volunteer will work both in the field (rural districts of Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Gujarat) and in the Mumbai head office. Ability to speak the languages will determine where the volunteer is placed.)

Email: sspindia1@gmail.com (please mention the subject of the email as: 10internship.in)

Note: The amount of time spent in the field is based on the volunteer’s demonstrated interest in doing so. The combination of field and office work can be determined in discussion with the volunteer.