Eklavya – Where Skill Meets Market

Building revenue-backed women-led micro-enterprises in rural and tribal India

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When Training Isn’t Enough

85% of livelihood programs fail post-training – not from lack of skill, but from a broken link to real markets.

Across India’s rural and tribal belts, countless women are equipped with traditional skills, untapped creativity, and entrepreneurial potential. Yet, our research shows a troubling reality: despite heavy investment by NGOs and CSR programs in skilling initiatives, over 85% of such projects collapse post-training, primarily due to one missing link — market connectivity.

Project Eklavya was created to solve that very gap.

Eklavya is not just a livelihood training program. It is a systemic platform designed to build sustainable micro-enterprises led by rural and tribal women, with end-to-end support — from product design and modernisation to branding, packaging, digital access, and most critically, sales and revenue enablement.

Rooted in real on-ground challenges, Eklavya connects handcrafted, sustainable products — made by women-led clusters and SHGs — with the demands of today’s conscious market. Whether it’s wellness, textiles, handmade art, or eco-conscious gifting, every product reflects a blend of local tradition and modern relevance.

With over 400+ women entrepreneurs already onboarded and 100+ product lines curated, Eklavya is emerging as a central platform for India’s rural sustainable economy — not a brand, but a bridge. Our vision is to build 1,000+ women-led businesses by 2028, creating a resilient ecosystem where skill is dignified, revenue is real, and growth is truly inclusive.

Scaling Local. Empowering Many.

A growing ecosystem of women-led enterprises, sustainable products, and rural impact that reaches beyond training and into real livelihoods

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Women Entrepreneurs
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Sustainable Products
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Production Units
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Decentralize Artisans
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Consumer Base
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Network of Retail Vendors

Products of Eklavya

Products of Eklavya
Products of Eklavya
Products of Eklavya
Products of Eklavya
Products of Eklavya
Products of Eklavya
Products of Eklavya
Products of Eklavya
Products of Eklavya
Products of Eklavya
Products of Eklavya
Products of Eklavya

Backing Her Journey

From idea to enterprise, these allies stand with us in creating real, revenue-backed rural change

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Eklavya Is Different

In the development sector, skill-building programs for women are abundant, but sustainability is rare. Most initiatives end at training, leaving women with products but no pathways to revenue. As a result, over 85% of livelihood projects fail post-training, not due to a lack of talent or effort, but because they lack connection to real markets.
Eklavya was created to change that.

Eklavya is not a one-time training program. It’s a holistic platform that supports women across the full entrepreneurship journey — from identifying skills and improving product design, to helping them price, package, brand, and most importantly, sell.

Where other programs stop at “how to make,” Eklavya continues with “how to market and scale.” Our team actively builds distribution channels by connecting women entrepreneurs and SHGs with urban conscious consumers, retail platforms, exhibitions, and curated B2B and CSR orders.

The goal is not to create dependency, but to build women-led micro-enterprises that can generate independent revenue and long-term resilience. Products developed under Eklavya are not charity goods — they are market-ready, design-sensitive, and sustainable, made to serve real demand while preserving local identity.

Eklavya is not just different in method — it’s different in mindset. It believes that true empowerment lies not in one-time opportunities but in systems that give women control over their income, identity, and growth.

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Eklavya Production Timeline

From One Cluster to a National Movement of Women-Led Enterprises

FY 2022-Ongoing

Annapurna Unit

Our first unit, launched with just 10 tribal women in the remote hills of Velhe, has now grown to 58 active entrepreneurs. Focused on wellness and eco-products, it laid the foundation for Eklavya’s long-term, women-led enterprise model.

FY 2022-Ongoing
FY 2023- Ongoing

Savitri Unit

Set in Nagpur’s urban belt, this unit trained 100 women, with 68 now actively employed in fast-moving product cycles. It bridges urban production needs with inclusive livelihood creation.

FY 2023- Ongoing
2024-Ongoing

Vanarai Unit

Based in a forested tribal zone, Vanarai engages 25 women producing nature-inspired lifestyle goods. It blends local wisdom with sustainable design.

2024-Ongoing
2023- Ongoing

Sondi Unit

Started with 35 women, Sondi now empowers 76 rural women working in food processing and home-care products — a model for grassroots scalability and ownership.

2023- Ongoing
2023- Ongoing

Dal Lake Unit

Operating with 25 women artisans, this unit revives traditional Kashmiri crafts, blending cultural preservation with income generation near the iconic Dal Lake.

2023- Ongoing
2023- Ongoing

Namrata Unit

Eklavya’s largest unit, with 145+ women, operates across Pune’s slum pockets in decentralised stitching and textile-based livelihoods, proving dignity thrives in every corner.

2023- Ongoing
2025- Ongoing

Ongoing Training

Across multiple tribal and rural belts, over 185 women are currently in training, with new units under development to expand Eklavya’s reach and resilience.

2025- Ongoing

My Life’s First Stall

I never imagined I would sell anything. I stitched quietly at home, never thinking it had value outside.

That changed when Eklavya came. They didn’t just train us — they told us we could earn. We formed a group, learned packaging, pricing, and branding. Then one day, they said, “You’re ready for your first stall.”

I stood behind the table, nervous. I had many handmade products made by my Sakhi — I sold nearly all. Few person even came back for more. That night, I cried — not because I sold, but because I finally earned.

Now, we sell at exhibitions regularly. I train other women. I still keep one label from that day — a reminder that every stall can be a beginning.

: Sheta Shelke

My First Travel Out of Pune

I had never stepped outside Pune. Not for work, not even for family. So when I was asked to travel to Nagpur as a trainer for a new batch of Eklavya trainees, I didn’t sleep the night before.

I wasn’t nervous about the journey — I was nervous about being the one teaching. Me, who only months ago was learning how to make and sell my own products, was now guiding others. But the moment I entered that training hall and saw those women — just like I had been — I knew I belonged there.

We spoke in different dialects but understood the same things: effort, hesitation, pride. By the end of the week, they had products ready, plans made, and I had a notebook full of names and smiles I’ll never forget.

Eklavya didn’t just give me a skill — it gave me purpose, confidence, and a reason to move beyond my own boundaries.

:Roshana Sarpale (Velhe)

Now My Son Talks With Me Respectfully

Before Eklavya, I was always “just at home.” I cooked, cleaned, and worked hard — but no one saw it as work. Not even my son.

When I started making products with my SHG, he didn’t say much. But the day I brought home my first income — ₹1,200 in my hand — his voice changed. He asked me, “Mummy, how much did you earn today?” Not out of doubt, but with pride.

Now, he helps me pack sometimes. He even tells his friends, “My mother runs a business.” I still do the cooking and cleaning — but now, I do it as someone seen, heard, and respected.

Eklavya gave me more than earnings. It gave me identity inside my own home.

:Shahista Pathan

First Time Visiting an IT Company

I had never imagined I would step inside a glass building — the kind we see only in movies. But Eklavya gave me that chance.

When I was invited to Netcracker to showcase our products, I was nervous. I wore my best saree and carried my team’s handmade soaps and oils. I thought people might ignore us. But they came. They listened. Some even asked how we made things. And they bought with smiles, not pity.

For the first time, I wasn’t a visitor. I was a representative. A businesswoman.

As we packed up, someone from the Netcracker team said, “We’d love to have you back.” That one line still echoes in my heart. I came with products. I returned with confidence.

Eklavya didn’t just take me to an IT company — it helped me walk in like I belonged.

:Sharwari Pawar

My First Exam

I never went to school. Not even for a day. I watched my brothers carry books, wear uniforms, and bring home report cards. I always wondered how that must feel — to write an exam, to be evaluated, to be proud.

When I joined Eklavya, I came to learn skills. But then they told us, “At the end, you’ll give a small test — your first exam.” I was scared at first. What if I failed?

But they helped us prepare — not with fear, but with respect. I wrote my first paper at the Eklavya exam centre, hands shaking. When I got my results, I couldn’t stop smiling.

Now, I have a certificate with my name on it. My daughter said, “Mummy, you passed!” That day, I didn’t feel like someone who missed school — I felt like someone who didn’t give up.

:Ganu Bai (Yerawda)

Let’s Build Her Market Together

Let’s take her product from the village to the world.

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“A revolution has begun. The communities TREEI works with are becoming more self-aware and invested in their own development, thanks to the team’s thoughtful mentorship and inclusive approach.”
Sandra MollanHR at Netcracker Technology
“Projects like Mission URJA and Eklavya reflect a 360-degree approach to development. TREEI is delivering real change where it’s needed the most.”
Achintya GhoshOperations Director at Artemyn India
“TREEI’s projects are highly replicable. Their grounded model — combining technical innovation with sustainable ownership — makes them truly effective.”
Natrajan RFinance Director at Artemyn India
“TREEI’s model of sustainable innovation is deeply aligned with community needs. Their tech-first, youth-led approach brings both relevance and long-term energy to their work.”
Utsavi DeepakESG Head Calderys India
“Team TREEI has the potential to create national-level sustainable impact. Their ability to integrate technology into solving real-world social challenges is exactly the kind of innovation India needs.”
Prasanna KarandikarHUB Director at Imerys
“Mission URJA brought electricity to places it had never reached — a historic milestone. The grassroots impact of TREEI is not only deep but also built to last.”
Abhijit PatilIndia Admin Director at Netcracker Technology
“The Third Wheel and Mission URJA show what’s possible when community, CSR, and technology come together. TREEI is driving change that empowers people to help themselves.”
Rajesh ChintaluriGlobal ESG Head at Imerys
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