Empowering Women
The status of women in India is a complex story. In ancient times, the status of men and women was equal. Today, many women hold high offices in the State. However, women in India still face much discrimination and many social challenges, and are often subject to abuse and crime.
To help combat this grim reality, Prime Trust actively believes that all women should be given a chance to earn the respect and opportunities they deserve from society. To this end, we have conducted a number of programs, including supporting Self-Help Groups (SHGs), running vocational training centres to facilitate financial independence, and opened a low-fee daycare centre to ease the stress of supporting a family.
To help combat this grim reality, Prime Trust actively believes that all women should be given a chance to earn the respect and opportunities they deserve from society. To this end, we have conducted a number of programs, including supporting Self-Help Groups (SHGs), running vocational training centres to facilitate financial independence, and opened a low-fee daycare centre to ease the stress of supporting a family.
Important events which we engage in annually include International Women's Day, which takes place on March 8th. On this day, we encourage members from all of our projects to participate. It is a chance for us to raise awareness and encourage women's empowerment, as well as an opportunity for people to speak their mind and build their self-confidence.
Vocational Training Projects
Prime Trust has established a number of facilities that provide vocational training, teaching women valuable skills that lead to financial stability and independence.
Tailoring and Handicraft Center
Founded in 2008, a training centre for tailoring was opened by Prime Trust. There, up till March 2020, the women could pay a minimal fee to get tutoring in sewing and clothes manufacturing. Since October 2020, and a new post-COVID era, we have been reviving our vocational trainings at our new Tailoring & Handicraft Center. After closing its doors due to the lockdown in March 2020, and shifting to a new location with more space and better working conditions, our volunteer Carine is training our team of three to five women who are all very keen on improving their skills and learning about design thinking. Read More |
Mat Weaving
Founded in coordination with Credit at People, a French nongovernmental organization specializing in microenterprise design, Prime Trust's mat weaving unit provided a secure facility, materials, machines, and training to a group of women for the production of doormats and other related products. Prime Trust no longer manages this project. However, the women continue with their work. Current production stands at approximately 2,000 mats per month, with supplemental earnings from mat sales increasing the disposable income of participants. |
Self-Help Groups & Microfinance
Prime Trust has provided microcredit to a number of self-help groups (SHGs) through its own program, its partner organization Akshaya, and through several internationally-based sponsors. Since the founding of Prime Trust in 2002, these various programs have provided loans and vocational training to more than 1,000 women in Puducherry and the surrounding districts of Villupuram and Cuddalore in Tamil Nadu. Through an emphasis on transparency and a user-friendly application process, Prime Trust's microcredit program sought to balance efficient use of funds with the unique needs of India's rural poor. Read more
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