Empower 100 women as food entrepreneurs in India

It was during late March and early April that we at ECO kitchen had an opportunity to meet with Ms Hema who works with vulnerable women in Northern Chennai. Women who have suffered abuse from their own family members, abandoned, and no one to care for. But what amazed us are levels of determination and desire to achieve something. Their ready smiles and ever willing attitude inspired us even more and that's how we started expanding into Northern Chennai, even though logistically it posed us a huge challenge…

Thank you so much friends of ECO Kitchen for your generous support to our project “Empowering 100 women as food entrepreneurs in India”.

Between March 26^th and April 25^th ECO kitchen completed the following:

1. The trainings are continuously given with reinforced information to the women who were enlisted in the early March 2011.

2. Out of 31, six women were trained in March and four women were trained and were given support in early April.

3. Our social workers spent time with them while establishing their business place, selling a minimum of 30 meals during lunch time, to ensure there is less waste.

4. A flip book and power point presentation that was created was pilot tested for its efficacy and found to be useful for the women to spread the message about ECO kitchen opportunity to their own social networks, and to also gain access to different organizations who are willing to contribute for a cause, thus increasing visibility.

5. A new aspect that was introduced in April was for the women who had their spouses living with them to bring them in for a quick introduction at ECO, to welcome their support and to be familiar with ECO kitchen and Kathir initiatives.

6. Short term goal for the month of May: to establish 3 safe and strategic selling places in Northern Chennai.

• Training report. (DOC)

Thank you so much, friends of ECO Kitchen, for your generous support to our project “Empowering 100 women as food entrepreneurs in India”.

Between December 6^th and February 28^th, ECO Kitchen has completed the following activities:

1. Recruit and train three social workers to talk about the project in the communities of Chennai and invite potential entrepreneurs to enroll in the first phase of training. We have conducted 19 community sessions and have enlisted 31 eligible and interested women.
2. Develop a curriculum for training. The curriculum consists of five sessions, each devoted to: building self-esteem; communication; business and food retail skills; financial and numerical literacy; food safety, hygiene and environment.
3. Conduct small group training: in the first phase, the curriculum is delivered only through weekends. This is to suit the preferences of the trainee entrepreneurs. We have completed the training for the first group (consisting of 9 potential entrepreneurs), of whom six have been placed on a list for receiving support from the Global Giving funds. The second group will complete training by 21^st March.
4. Design a new cart: We have designed a new cart, one that is more mobile, offers more space and is convenient for the entrepreneur to use.
5. Roll out carts: You will be delighted to know that the first of the carts was rolled out in February 2011 and presently one of the social workers is assisting (NAME) on the field to become a food entrepreneur.  
6. Ms Devaki (name changed) was admitted to our HIV community care centre for care and support, and when we learnt that she would not be able to afford even the travel to reach our free care programme, we introduced her to KATHIR. We are really glad and happy that she took up the programme in earnestness and has become our first entrepreneur with your support.
7. BY March 12^th, we will be placing orders for an additional fourteen carts.
8. By April 30, we will have 15 new entrepreneurs in place.

We raised $ 14,021through Global Giving which will help us to roll out the fifteen carts as planned and we hope to be on track with our plan. Our goal is to roll out 100 carts by December 2011.

Please ask your friends to visit www.ecokithcen.org, and learn more about the cause you have supported, and urge them to spread the word.

Thank you again for your kind heart!

PS: Please write to info@ecokitchen.org for any further information.