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.

Our Support

The Trust’s funding will enable Mann Deshi to reach out to over 10,000 business school graduates in the region.

Charity News & Events

The Mann Deshi Foundation won the EdelGive Social Innovation Honours 2010 for its Business School for illiterate rural women in Maharashtra. The Honours highlight organisations that have worked to create an innovative model for delivery of essential services to women and girls.

For the latest news from Mann Deshi please check out the Mann Deshi Newsletters

Co-Funders and Partners

HSBC and Dasra.

UK India Business Council supported this charity in 2009-10.