A programme for emancipation of the uneducated rural woman who is bound within the four walls of her

house, too shy to interact with strangers. The ‘Jnanavikasa Kendra (center for women empowerment)’

is actually a hands on training capacity building center for rural women to increase their confidence

levels with knowledge and group dynamics. Each center has approximately 50 young women who are

normally house wives. They come together every week for a brief period of 30 minutes to conduct financial

transactions and for three hours once in a month for learning.

A six phased process to empower and help women to be in harmony with the family, care for family

health, cook cost effective nutritious food, educate the family members, avail the benefit of government

schemes and help the family with additional income through livelihood activities. The programme helps

women to develop their personality, achieve self-confidence and bring them to societal mainstream.

Savings is encouraged, functional literacy is nurtured and the women are helped to start their own

income generation activities.

The Jnanavikasa centers have installed rural libraries from which the women can borrow books and

enrich their knowledge at home. The programme has a Coordinator in each block coordinating at least 25

centers. Each center has 4-5 SHGs and 40-50 members. It meets once every month. Each center has

a center incharge who regularly organizes programmes. Sofar 3,892 centers have become functional

helping 200,000 women. 2,409 libraries help the centers. The Jnanavikasa centers also give vent to the

innate talents of the women. Annual Jnanavikasa festival is a gala affair in the village.

Jnanavikasa center