Mann Deshi School, India

Key Facts

65% of women in Mhaswad Mann Taluka are illiterate.
Seventy-five percent of the population of the drought prone region of Mhaswad live below the poverty line and lack access to education and job opportunities.
Since 2006, 16,000 women have been trained at the Mann Deshi School and over 11,000 new business women have been created.

Mann Deshi’s Response

Mann Deshi is India’s first and only Business School for illiterate rural women. The School provides comprehensive training in accountancy, marketing and technical skills such as embroidery, tailoring, agrobusiness training in areas such as dairy, veterinary and silk production. Graduates can then launch their own business or improve already existing enterprises. 68% of women entrepreneurs said that their position in the family improved after they took Mann Deshi business classes.