Swayam Shikshan Prayog (SSP) is a

non-governmental organization A non-governmental organization (NGO) is an independent, typically nonprofit organization that operates outside government control, though it may get a significant percentage of its funding from government or corporate sources. NGOs often focus ...

based in

Pune Pune ( ; , ISO 15919, ISO: ), previously spelled in English as Poona (List of renamed Indian cities and states#Maharashtra, the official name until 1978), is a city in the state of Maharashtra in the Deccan Plateau, Deccan plateau in Western ...

, India. It was co-founded by

Prema Gopalan Prema Gopalan (1955/1956 – 29 March, 2022) was an Indian social activist. She co-founded the Society for the Promotion of Area Resource Centers (SPARC) in 1984. She then founded and has been executive director of Swayam Shikshan Prayog (S ...

and Sheela Patel in 1998 and aims to support female entrepreneurs in areas such as agriculture, health and sanitation. Its work has been recognised by the

United Nations Development Programme The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is a United Nations agency tasked with helping countries eliminate poverty and achieve sustainable economic growth and human development. The UNDP emphasizes on developing local capacity towar ...

and the

United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is the UN process for negotiating an agreement to limit dangerous climate change. It is an international treaty among countries to combat "dangerous human interference with th ...

History

Following the Latur earthquake of 1993 in

Maharashtra Maharashtra () is a state in the western peninsular region of India occupying a substantial portion of the Deccan Plateau. It is bordered by the Arabian Sea to the west, the Indian states of Karnataka and Goa to the south, Telangana to th ...

focused upon supporting rural communities in the region of

Marathwada Marathwada () is a geographical region of the States and territories of India, Indian state of Maharashtra. It was formed during the Nizam of Hyderabad, Nizam's rule and was part of the then Hyderabad State. The region coincides with the Aurang ...

. By 1998 the rehabilitation projects were complete and this led to the setting up of Swayam Shikshan Prayog (SSP) by Gopalan and Sheela Patel. It is a

(NGO) based in

. SSP aims to educate and support female entrepreneurship in areas such as agriculture, health, nutrition, sanitation and clean energy. Since 2009 it has assisted over 350,000 grassroots women. SSP provides assistance to women working in the field of clean or

sustainable energy Energy system, Energy is sustainability, sustainable if it "meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs." Definitions of sustainable energy usually look at its effects on the e ...

. The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) reported in 2019 that SSP had reached over 4 million people in India, mainly in Maharashtra,

Bihar Bihar ( ) is a states and union territories of India, state in Eastern India. It is the list of states and union territories of India by population, second largest state by population, the List of states and union territories of India by are ...

Gujarat Gujarat () is a States of India, state along the Western India, western coast of India. Its coastline of about is the longest in the country, most of which lies on the Kathiawar peninsula. Gujarat is the List of states and union territories ...

and

Tamil Nadu Tamil Nadu (; , TN) is the southernmost States and union territories of India, state of India. The List of states and union territories of India by area, tenth largest Indian state by area and the List of states and union territories of Indi ...

. Links had been made between 1,100 female entrepreneurs working on clean energy systems in eight different districts. The government of Maharashtra government chose SSP to be the group which runs the Mahila Kisan Sashaktikaran Pariyojana programme. This has involved over 25,000 female farmers in 600 village working to improve their agricultural methods. SSP developed a model of livelihood diversification to reduce the risks and vulnerabilities while increasing the capacities of small and marginal farmers. The Women-led Climate Resilient Farming (WCRF) model of SSP promotes the multi-cropping of indigenous climate-appropriate food crops. This ensures household food and income security with good nutrition while conserving water and natural resources. Through our entrepreneurship development program, SSP has supported thousands of women to start businesses and grow by creating farmer producer groups. SSP's flagship initiative, "Women's Initiative to Learn and Lead" (WILL), focuses on women's agency and leadership, enabling them to participate in governance, address critical issues at home and in the community, and empower other women.

Awards

Swayam Shikshan Prayog won the sixth Billionth South Asia Award 2015 for its work on rural medical assistance. In 2016, SSP won the

(UNFCCC) Momentum for Change Lighthouse Activity Award for its support of rural networks building clean energy systems. In the following years, SSP won the

Equator Prize The Equator Prize, organized by the Equator Initiative within the United Nations Development Programme,

2017 awarded by

; Schwab Foundation's Social Entrepreneur of the Year India Award 2018; Schwab Foundation's Outstanding Social Entrepreneur of the Year (WEF) award 2019; NITI Aayog’s Women Transforming India Award 2021; and, Global Local Adaptation (CGA)’s Local Adaptation Award for Capacity and Knowledge (for the Women Led Climate Resilient Farming Model) at COP27 in 2022.

References

External links

{{Authority control Women's organisations based in India Women from Maharashtra Organizations established in 1998 Social entrepreneurship 1998 establishments in Maharashtra