Swayam Shikshan Prayog - SSP

Swayam Shikshan Prayog - SSP Swayam Shikshan Prayog empowers grassroots women’s collectives to move from “Margin to Mainstream”. S

Swayam Shikshan Prayog (SSP) is a learning and development organization that enables social change and economic empowerment to develop and strengthen the competencies of grassroots women’s groups and communities. SSP aims to provide support and opportunities in skill-building and entrepreneurship & financial and insurance services for rural women, youth and families. Together with SSP and its promoted social enterprises, it is also committed in promoting women’s leadership in building resilience in their communities in climate change and disaster hit areas on agriculture, health, water & sanitation, clean energy and environment and help them emerge as “architects,” developing their communities.

𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐜𝐥𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞-𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐝𝐬On 8 September 2026, women entrepreneurs, farmers and ...
14/09/2026

𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐜𝐥𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞-𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐝𝐬

On 8 September 2026, women entrepreneurs, farmers and government officials came together for a block-level meeting in Wazirganj, Gaya district, Bihar, facilitated by Swayam Shikshan Prayog.

The consultation focused on strengthening coordination between women leaders, farmers and government stakeholders to promote the Women-Led Climate-Resilient Farming (WCRF) model, improve access to government schemes and services, and explore opportunities in sustainable farming and clean energy.

A key moment was WCRF farmer Anita Kumari from Manjhauli village sharing her journey and the changes she has brought to her family and community. Her experience was appreciated by government officials as an example of how women’s leadership can inspire others.

The meeting also opened up concrete areas for collaboration. In Jamuaawan Gram Panchayat, women leaders, Krishi Sakhis, SSP staff and government officials will work together to promote natural farming under the National Mission for Natural Farming. In Punama Panchayat, SSP women leaders will support efforts to promote pulses and oilseeds and help farmers access relevant opportunities.

The Block Development Officer also encouraged more organised dialogue and consultation meetings at the village and GP levels to help more women leaders gain confidence and lead change in their communities, like Anita Kumari.

“When women like Anita Kumari lead from the front, climate-resilient farming becomes more than a livelihood. It becomes a pathway for change in families, communities and the wider society,” says Prabhakar Singh, Block Development Officer, Wazirganj Block, Gaya, Bihar.

𝐒𝐮𝐫𝐛𝐡𝐢’𝐬 𝐉𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐲 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐅𝐚𝐫𝐦 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐃𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐄𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐮𝐫In Nirpur village of Nalanda district, Bihar, 30 year old Surbhi ...
07/09/2026

𝐒𝐮𝐫𝐛𝐡𝐢’𝐬 𝐉𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐲 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐅𝐚𝐫𝐦 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐃𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐄𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐮𝐫

In Nirpur village of Nalanda district, Bihar, 30 year old Surbhi Kumari is transforming the way she farms and how she earns a living.

When Surbhi first entered the fields, it was out of necessity. With a family to support and little opportunity for an independent income, farming was simply a way to make ends meet.

Everything began to change when she joined SSP’s Women led Climate Resilient Farming (WCRF) training in her village in 2024. She began adopting climate resilient farming practices, producing bio inputs, diversifying into vegetables and fruits, and gradually emerging as a WCRF leader in her community.

Then Surbhi began looking beyond farming. She started small enterprises selling animal feed, organic manure, solar lanterns and other products. With every new venture, her confidence grew and so did her ambition.

In 2026, an opportunity came to select one woman from Nalanda district for training and an agricultural drone. Surbhi applied. After a competitive selection process, she was chosen.

Today, Surbhi provides drone spraying services to farmers in her area, earning ₹450 per acre and serving 3–4 farmers a day during the season. Her husband, who had earlier gone out for wage work, now works alongside her in the enterprise and on their farm.

For Surbhi, the biggest change is not the drone. It is the change in how she sees herself.

“I entered the fields out of necessity, but farming gave me pride, identity and a new path to prosperity. Today, I don’t just cultivate crops, I cultivate opportunities.”

From farm worker to farmer, community leader and technology enabled entrepreneur, Surbhi’s journey shows how an opportunity can change not just a livelihood, but the way a woman sees her own possibilities.

With LIC HFL – I just got recognized as one of their top fans! 🎉
31/08/2026

With LIC HFL – I just got recognized as one of their top fans! 🎉

𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐟𝐚𝐫𝐦 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐟𝐚𝐫𝐦𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫: 𝐀𝐬𝐡𝐚 𝐓𝐚𝐢’𝐬 𝐣𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐲 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐟𝐚𝐫𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠In Murug village in Bidar, Karnataka, 37-y...
31/08/2026

𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐟𝐚𝐫𝐦 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐟𝐚𝐫𝐦𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫: 𝐀𝐬𝐡𝐚 𝐓𝐚𝐢’𝐬 𝐣𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐲 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐟𝐚𝐫𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠

In Murug village in Bidar, Karnataka, 37-year-old Asha Biradar has spent more than 25 years working on the farm. But for a long time, like many rural women, her contribution to agriculture was rarely recognised in decision-making or leadership.

Her journey began to change when she joined SSP’s Women-Led Climate Resilient Farming (WCRF) initiative.

With training, exposure visits and encouragement, Asha started experimenting with sustainable farming on 30 gunthas of land. Her family was initially hesitant, but she began preparing Jivamrut, Nimboli Arka, Kelisal and vermicompost, and convinced them to try natural inputs.

The results changed their minds.

Today, her family uses bio-manure across their agricultural land. By reducing dependence on chemical fertilisers, Asha saved around ₹6,000 in cultivation costs. She also grows vegetables for household consumption, saving approximately ₹800–900 every week. Growing ambadi has further helped reduce household expenditure on edible oil.

Asha has also adopted bio-inputs such as Dashparni Ark and Agniastra, helping improve soil health and crop productivity. Integrated farming, including dairy, provides additional income while strengthening household food security.

But the biggest change is beyond the farm.

As President of the Jijau Mahila Bachat G*t, Asha now encourages other women farmers to learn, experiment and take decisions. Soil testing has also been conducted for 20 women farmers in Murug with support from Krishi Vigyan Kendra.

Asha’s story shows that when women gain knowledge, confidence and space to lead, farming becomes more than a livelihood. It becomes a pathway to resilience, dignity and leadership.

Asha says, “When we protect the soil, the soil protects our future.”

27/08/2026

𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐆𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐥𝐮𝐩𝐞𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐖𝐚𝐲𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐝: 𝐀 𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐎𝐧𝐚𝐦 𝐅𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐁𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐦𝐬

For years, Gundlupet in neighbouring Karnataka has been a familiar source of flowers for Kerala’s Onam markets. As the festival approaches, flowers traditionally travel across the border to meet the growing demand.

This year, a new story is blooming in Wayanad.

In the hills of Muttil, women farmers are growing marigolds for the local Onam market. The first harvest has been completed, with the flowers handed over to Muttil Krishi Bhavan’s Onam flower market.

The initiative is part of the LIC HFL HRIDAY project, and implemented by Swayam Shikshan Prayog, promoting climate-resilient farming while creating new livelihood opportunities for women farmers.

For farmer Lakshmi Kunhiraman, who usually grows vegetables such as beans and okra, growing marigolds was a new experience. Seeing her field filled with yellow and orange flowers brought her a special sense of joy and achievement.

This is more than a flower harvest. It is about creating local opportunities from local demand, reducing dependence on flowers brought from outside the state, and enabling women farmers to explore new crops and sources of income.

Across Meppadi, Padinjarathara and Muttil, the LIC HFL HRIDAY project has engaged around 1,800 women farmers in climate-resilient farming practices.

As Onam unfolds across Wayanad, its hills are beginning to bloom with flowers grown by local women for local markets.

GrassrootsLeadership WomenLeadership Wayanad WomenFarmers

27/08/2026

𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐆𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐥𝐮𝐩𝐞𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐖𝐚𝐲𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐝: 𝐀 𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐎𝐧𝐚𝐦 𝐅𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐁𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐦𝐬

For years, Gundlupet in neighbouring Karnataka has been a familiar source of flowers for Kerala’s Onam markets. As the festival approaches, flowers traditionally travel across the border to meet the growing demand.

This year, a new story is blooming in Wayanad.

In the hills of Muttil, women farmers are growing marigolds for the local Onam market. The first harvest has been completed, with the flowers handed over to Muttil Krishi Bhavan’s Onam flower market.

The initiative is part of the LIC HFL HRIDAY project and implemented by Swayam Shikshan Prayog, promoting climate-resilient farming while creating new livelihood opportunities for women farmers.

For farmer Lakshmi Kunhiraman, who usually grows vegetables such as beans and okra, growing marigolds was a new experience. Seeing her field filled with yellow and orange flowers brought her a special sense of joy and achievement.

This is more than a flower harvest. It is about creating local opportunities from local demand, reducing dependence on flowers brought from outside the state, and enabling women farmers to explore new crops and sources of income.

Across Meppadi, Padinjarathara and Muttil, the LIC HFL HRIDAY project has engaged around 1,800 women farmers in climate-resilient farming practices.

As Onam unfolds across Wayanad, its hills are beginning to bloom with flowers grown by local women for local markets.

Bringing Women Farmers’ Realities into Policy ImplementationVaishali Ghuge from Swayam Shikshan Prayog (SSP) was invited...
27/08/2026

Bringing Women Farmers’ Realities into Policy Implementation

Vaishali Ghuge from Swayam Shikshan Prayog (SSP) was invited on 24 August as a resource person at a two-day Training of Trainers programme for Agriculture Department officials, organised by VANAMATI (Vasantrao Naik State Agricultural Extension Management Training Institute), Nagpur, on the Women Farmers Bill 2026.

The session brought together officials from across Maharashtra who will go on to train others on the Bill’s implementation. This made the ground-level perspective Vaishali shared especially relevant.

Through real stories and experiences from the field, she spoke about the everyday challenges women farmers face and how, when given the right opportunities, women do not simply overcome these challenges. They turn opportunities into lasting change for their families, farms and communities.

The video offers a glimpse into the session and Vaishali’s interaction with the officials as she brings these grassroots experiences into the conversation on policy implementation.

The Women Farmers Bill 2026 aims to bring meaningful benefits to women farmers across Maharashtra. Sessions like this can help ensure that its implementation is informed by the realities of women who farm, lead and build resilience on the ground.

𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐔𝐧𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐋𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐚 𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐒𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐈𝐧𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞For years, the land near Sarita Kumari’s home in Amethi village, Gaya, Bihar, ...
13/08/2026

𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐔𝐧𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐋𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐚 𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐒𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐈𝐧𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞

For years, the land near Sarita Kumari’s home in Amethi village, Gaya, Bihar, remained unused between the Kharif and Rabi seasons. For Sarita, 40, life was largely centred around her family’s small farming and daily wage work. With limited opportunities to earn an income of her own, she dreamed of building a better future for her children.

Her turning point came in January 2025, when Sarita attended a village-level meeting facilitated by Swayam Shikshan Prayog (SSP). There, she learned about Women-led Climate Resilient Farming (WCRF), sustainable agriculture and women’s leadership.

Inspired by what she learned, Sarita decided to try mixed vegetable cultivation on the unused land near her home. Convincing her family was not easy, but with her determination and continuous guidance from SSP, she received their support.

She strengthened her skills through SSP’s capacity-building programmes and technical training from Krishi Vigyan Kendra and Rural Self Employment Training Institute (RSETI). Soon, the once uncultivated land began producing okra, bottle gourd, sponge gourd, bitter gourd, cucumber, brinjal, tomato, carrot and other seasonal vegetables.

The first harvest brought Sarita around ₹12,000 in income.

More than the money, the experience changed how her family and community saw her. She gained confidence, respect and a stronger voice in farming decisions. She also began recommending improved paddy practices within her family.

Her journey did not stop with her own farm. Inspired by her experience, eight women in her village have been motivated to take up vegetable and climate-resilient farming.

“A small piece of land gave me a new identity, confidence, and hope for my children's future.”

Vaishali Ghuge Honoured with the Yashaswini Krishi Samman 2026We are proud to congratulate our inspiring women leader, V...
07/08/2026

Vaishali Ghuge Honoured with the Yashaswini Krishi Samman 2026

We are proud to congratulate our inspiring women leader, Vaishali Ghuge, on being honoured with the Yashaswini Krishi Samman 2026 by the Yashwantrao Chavan Centre, Mumbai.

A farmer, entrepreneur, environmental champion, and community leader, Vaishali has dedicated herself to promoting sustainable agriculture and strengthening rural livelihoods. Through her leadership, she has inspired women farmers to embrace climate-resilient farming practices, adopt sustainable solutions, and build resilient communities.

The Yashaswini Krishi Samman recognises her outstanding contribution to agriculture and her unwavering commitment to empowering rural women. This well-deserved honour celebrates not only her personal journey but also the transformative impact of grassroots women leaders who are shaping a more sustainable and equitable future.

Heartiest congratulations, Vaishali! We are immensely proud of your achievement and wish you continued success in inspiring many more women to lead with courage, innovation, and purpose.

𝐒𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐒𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐬. 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐋𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐝𝐬.For many rural women in Latur's Ausa block, agriculture provides only season...
20/07/2026

𝐒𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐒𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐬. 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐋𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐝𝐬.

For many rural women in Latur's Ausa block, agriculture provides only seasonal income. To help create sustainable livelihoods beyond farming, Swayam Shikshan Prayog (SSP) has launched a 20 day vocational tailoring and sewing training for 42 women from 15 villages.

Led by experienced trainers Subha Chendke and Pooja Dhormare, the hands-on programme equips women with practical skills in garment making, pattern cutting, sewing machine operation, alterations, finishing, and quality control. The training also covers entrepreneurship, pricing, record keeping, digital payments, customer relations, and marketing, enabling participants to build successful home-based enterprises.

With skills to stitch school uniforms, blouses, kurtis, shopping bags, and other garments, these women are preparing to create new income opportunities for themselves and their families. More than learning a craft, they are gaining the confidence to become entrepreneurs and reduce dependence on seasonal agricultural work.

At SSP, we believe that when women gain skills, they gain choices. And when they gain choices, families and communities become more resilient.

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411045

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+918605016700

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