Educating, Empowering and Capacity Building of Rural Women in Micro Entrepreneurship through Self Help Groups

Abstract

Women's entrepreneurship is both about women's position in society and about the role of entrepreneurship in the same society. Women entrepreneurs faced many obstacles specifically in market their product (including family responsibilities) that have to be overcome in order to give them access to the same opportunities as men. Increased participation of women in the labour force is a prerequisite for improving the position of women in society and self-employed women. Particularly the entry of rural women in microenterprises will be encouraged and aggravated. Rural women can do wonders by their effectual and competent involvement in entrepreneurial activities. The rural women are having basic indigenous knowledge, skill, potential and resources to establish and manage enterprise. Now what is the need is knowledge regarding accessibility to loans, various funding agencies, procedure regarding certificate, awareness on government welfare programmes, motivation, technical skill and support from family, government and other organization. Moreover formation and strengthening of rural women entrepreneurs’ network must be encouraged. Women entrepreneur networks are major sources of knowledge about women's entrepreneurship and they are increasingly recognized as a valuable tool for its development and promotion. This network helps to give lectures, printed material imparting first hand technical knowledge in production, processing, procurement, management and marketing among the other women. This will motivate other rural women to engage in micro-entrepreneurship with the right assistance and they can strengthen their capacities besides, adding to the family income and national productivity. Thus rural women are empowered through entrepreneurship. Women's organizations have come to be recognized as the main source of power, position and strength for women in modern India.