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AWAKE - Association of Women Entrepreneurs of Karnataka
is today one of India's premier institutions for women totally
devoted to entrepreneurship development. AWAKE supports the
entrepreneurial development of poor women to promote employment
opportunities through voluntary efforts. AWAKE was
registered as a non-profit organization in 1983 and became
a Women's World Banking (WWB) affiliate in 1998.
AWAKE's mission is to improve women's position in society,
and to build on the entrepreneurship culture among women.
AWAKE also assists policy-making agencies to form constructive
policies for women entrepreneurs and to create local networks
of women's enterprises. AWAKE has been recognized by the Karnataka
State Government as the State Organization of Women Entrepreneurs,
and has been approved by the Small Industrial Development
Bank of India (SIDBI) as a training institute.
An elected Executive Committee, comprising 15 successful
businesswomen, manages the organization with the support of
some permanent staff and consultants. Internal sub-committees
are responsible for planning, coordinating, and implementing
the programmes. The majority of AWAKE's managers are
volunteers.
AWAKE has over 500 members. Its clients include urban
and semi-urban women, generally literate and educated, from
the lower middle-class and the upper working class. AWAKE
has operations in both Bangalore and the economically depressed
areas of North Karnataka. AWAKE has expanded its reach by
collaborating with local NGOs, grassroots organizations, regional
trainers, development agencies, and the media. The majority
of AWAKE's clients' work in manufacturing, agro-processing
and services. In 1998 and 1999, AWAKE developed a successful
urban-rural programme, in which urban-based women entrepreneurs
helped significant numbers of rural handloom weavers improve
designs, quality, input supply, and ability to tap new market
opportunities.
The success of AWAKE's programmes lies in the strength
and commitment of its members, who volunteer to conduct the
programmes. The objectives of the programmes are:
- To train prospective women entrepreneurs.
- To further develop existing women entrepreneurs, including AWAKE's members.
AWAKE's Entrepreneurship Development Programmes
(EDPs) are conducted in collaboration with government, local
NGOs, and other development agencies. AWAKE is managing the
Rural Industries Programme for Bijapur District for the Government
of Karnataka and SIDBI. AWAKE has also conducted training
programmes for international agencies, such as the United
Nations/ESCAP and the ILO.
AWAKE's innovations include:
Building management programmes for members and non-members.
Setting up a research and resource centre.
Developing credit referral.
Appraisal facilitation methods to mediate between local
banks and their clients.
For more information, contact:
AWAKE, #B-76, Rajajinagar,
KSSIDC Industrial Estate, Bangalore 560 044
Phone: 080-338-9964
Fax: 080-338-9964 (Call first)
E-mail: awakener@blr.vsnl.net.in
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