Icecd

Icecd UN ESCAP recognised centre for excellence, ICECD, Celebrates 40 years of creating Self Reliance through Micro-Small-Medium Enterprise Development

HINA SHAH,
THE FOUNDER OF ICECD ENVISIONS…

“My cherished desire is to empower every woman to transcend all obstacles and take her rightful path in this world, as I believe that when a woman gets empowered, the family gets empowered, and when the family gets empowered, the state, the nation gets empowered. I envision every woman emerging as a socially and economically independent person, transgressing barriers of geography, age and creed, through emergence as a successful entrepreneur. Over the years, ICECD has successfully mainstreamed many a marginalized and under privileged women and men- with developmental efforts, thus assisting the process of their social and economic empowerment. The focus has been on facilitating their emergence as entrepreneurs through technical and managerial training. Thus a sense of ability and ownership is developed which motivates them to break their dependency and emerge out towards a brighter future. Besides, organizations and individuals have been developed by ICECD in order to create a pool of committed, capable and socially responsible professionals who foster the process of non reversible developmental change.”

27/08/2026

What if earning your first income could change more than your finances?

For Dr. Hina Shah, it was about something much bigger—identity, confidence and independence.

In 1986, she founded ICECD with a simple yet powerful belief: if women could learn, earn and build businesses, they could take greater control of their own lives.

Her first training module began with just 25 women. 16 of them went on to start their own businesses—and remarkably, they continued in business.

That early experience became a powerful proof of what happens when women are given the right knowledge, opportunity and support.

🎥 Hear Dr. Hina Shah share the story behind the beginnings of ICECD in this ET NOW Podcast conversation.

40 Years. Millions of Women. One Enduring Mission.From challenging social norms in the early years to building entrepren...
22/08/2026

40 Years. Millions of Women. One Enduring Mission.

From challenging social norms in the early years to building entrepreneurship ecosystems across India and beyond, ICECD’s journey has always been driven by one belief: when women become economically empowered, families, communities and economies grow stronger.

Read our latest article to discover the story, leadership, milestones and impact behind four decades of empowering women entrepreneurs.

Read the full story – https://tinyurl.com/s93wfezh

18/08/2026

Every journey has a turning point. Hers began unexpectedly.

Entrepreneurship was never the original plan for Dr. Hina Shah. But a move to a small town, a changing environment, and the desire to create an identity of her own led her towards an unconventional path in the 1970s.

At a time when women were expected to follow traditional roles, she chose to build something of her own—and discovered that economic independence could create a new sense of confidence, identity and respect.

In this ET NOW conversation, Dr. Hina Shah takes us back to the early years that shaped her journey from a first-generation entrepreneur to a champion of women’s entrepreneurship.

🎥 Watch the conversation and discover where the journey truly began.

Training Before LendingMany development programmes begin with finance.ICECD begins with people.Before providing access t...
01/08/2026

Training Before Lending

Many development programmes begin with finance.

ICECD begins with people.

Before providing access to microfinance, every participant is equipped with entrepreneurship education, business planning, financial literacy, market assessment, enterprise management and continuous mentoring.

Only then does finance become a powerful instrument for transformation.

This philosophy—Training Before Lending—has enabled thousands of women to establish sustainable enterprises, strengthen household incomes and become respected economic leaders within their communities.

Perhaps its greatest achievement is transforming individuals once considered "unbankable" into confident entrepreneurs capable of accessing the formal financial system.

When capability comes before credit, development becomes sustainable.

Institutional Signature:

For nearly four decades, ICECD has been designing, demonstrating and institutionalizing scalable models of entrepreneurship-led poverty alleviation, women's economic empowerment and inclusive economic development—creating sustainable solutions that continue to influence policymakers, development practitioners, financial institutions and international organizations.

ICECD | Building Entrepreneurs. Empowering Women. Transforming Communities. Since 1986.

Poverty Cannot Be Solved by Loans AloneFor decades, development programmes around the world have invested heavily in mic...
28/07/2026

Poverty Cannot Be Solved by Loans Alone

For decades, development programmes around the world have invested heavily in microfinance. Yet one important question has remained:

Why do some micro-enterprises flourish while so many others struggle to survive?

Nearly three decades ago, ICECD demonstrated that sustainable poverty alleviation requires more than access to finance. It requires people to develop the confidence, knowledge and entrepreneurial capability to build successful enterprises.

Its pioneering model combined Entrepreneurship Development Training, continuous mentoring and sustainable microfinance—creating entrepreneurs rather than borrowers.

Supported by the Commonwealth Secretariat and implemented across India, this innovative initiative was recognized as one of Asia's outstanding development projects. It demonstrated that when capability and finance work together, women create enterprises, families achieve economic security and communities generate lasting employment.

The lesson remains timeless.

Credit may finance a business.
Capability builds an entrepreneur.
Entrepreneurs build nations.

Institutional Signature:

For nearly four decades, ICECD has been designing, demonstrating and institutionalizing scalable models of entrepreneurship-led poverty alleviation, women's economic empowerment and inclusive economic development—creating sustainable solutions that continue to influence policymakers, development practitioners, financial institutions and international organizations.

ICECD | Building Entrepreneurs. Empowering Women. Transforming Communities. Since 1986.

28/07/2026

✨ Every journey begins with one courageous step.

Through the Women Entrepreneurship Development Programme (WEDP), conducted by ICECD in collaboration with GCCI, participants didn’t just attend sessions—they discovered new confidence, new ideas, and a new vision for their future.

Hearing these experiences reminds us that entrepreneurship is not only about starting a business; it is about believing in yourself and creating opportunities where none existed before. 💙💛

Here’s to every woman who chose growth, learning, and empowerment. 🌱

Today marks the exciting launch of a brand-new batch of our *Entrepreneurship Development Programme (EDP), and we're thr...
27/07/2026

Today marks the exciting launch of a brand-new batch of our *Entrepreneurship Development Programme (EDP), and we're thrilled to welcome **27 passionate aspiring entrepreneurs* to the ICECD family! 🎉

It's a *full house, filled with energy, ambition, and dreams ready to take shape. What makes this batch even more special is the enthusiastic participation of **men entrepreneurs*, joining us after a long time and adding a new dimension to this vibrant learning journey.

Over the coming weeks, these budding entrepreneurs will gain the knowledge, skills, mentorship, and confidence needed to transform their ideas into successful ventures.

Here's to new beginnings, bold ideas, and the entrepreneurs of tomorrow! 💼✨

40 years of ICECD, and we’re just getting started…
23/07/2026

40 years of ICECD, and we’re just getting started…

International collaboration for women's economic empowerment continues to create new opportunities for learning, partner...
22/07/2026

International collaboration for women's economic empowerment continues to create new opportunities for learning, partnership, and shared progress.

Dr. Hina Shah, Founder Director of the International Centre for Entrepreneurship and Career Development (ICECD), was invited by the Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Sri Lanka (CanCham Sri Lanka) to share her four decades of experience in women's entrepreneurship development and to explore opportunities for strengthening collaboration across the Indo-Pacific region.

She was warmly welcomed by Mrs. Neelu Kulsilva, Secretary General & Executive Director of CanCham Sri Lanka, in the presence of the Counsellor of the Canadian High Commission in Sri Lanka and the Managing Director of CanCham Sri Lanka.

In her keynote address, Dr. Shah shared India's successful experiences in promoting women's entrepreneurship, building women-led enterprises, and developing sustainable SME ecosystems through capacity building, mentoring, institutional support, and entrepreneurship development programmes. She also highlighted the importance of regional partnerships and institutional cooperation among India, Sri Lanka, Canada, and other Indo-Pacific countries to accelerate women's economic empowerment.

The visit also included discussions on future collaborative initiatives between ICECD and CanCham Sri Lanka to advance women-led SME development and strengthen institutional partnerships across the Indo-Pacific region.

Dr. Shah's visit received wide appreciation and extensive coverage in Sri Lankan newspapers, digital media, social media platforms, and YouTube channels.

ICECD extends its sincere gratitude to CanCham Sri Lanka for its warm hospitality, gracious recognition, and commitment to fostering meaningful international partnerships for women's economic empowerment. We also thank the Sri Lankan media for their generous appreciation and support in highlighting this shared vision.

Together, through collaboration and shared commitment, we can create stronger pathways for women entrepreneurs and build a more inclusive and prosperous future across the Indo-Pacific region.

Fifteen women walked in with ideas. Fifteen entrepreneurs walked out. 💫Through ICECD's Women Entrepreneurship Developmen...
18/07/2026

Fifteen women walked in with ideas. Fifteen entrepreneurs walked out. 💫

Through ICECD's Women Entrepreneurship Development Programme (WEDP), this batch has led to over ₹25 lakhs in business investments and created employment for 20+ people—numbers that represent real dreams, real courage, and real change.

From identifying business opportunities to developing entrepreneurial skills and launching enterprises, these women have taken the first step towards building sustainable livelihoods.

Here's to turning ideas into enterprises, creating livelihoods, and empowering women to build a brighter future. 🤝

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