Pioneer of Empowering Grassroots Women as Leaders in Climate Resilient Farming, Entrepreneurship, Clean Energy, & WASH

Resilient Women
Resilient Communities

We are empowering grassroots women’s networks & communities across Maharashtra, Kerala, Bihar and Odisha states through relief, recovery & building long-term resilience to reduce the impact of this humanitarian, economic & health crisis.

COP27: Swayam Shikshan Prayog wins Local Adaptation Champions Awards

Swayam Shikshan Prayog (SSP), Maharashtra-based organisation has been awarded, Local Adaptation Champions Awards, organised by Global Center on Adaptation (GCA) at ongoing COP27 in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt.

SSP is one of the four organisations recognised for their work in leading climate change adaptation for vulnerable local communities.

Our Inspiration and an Icon

Late Ms. Prema Gopalan : The Quintessential Sakhi

Founder - Swayam Shikshan Prayog (1956 - 2022)

About Prema

“Ordinary women can trigger extraordinary changes. My vision is to create an ecosystem that empowers women at grassroot enabling to move from margin to mainstream, transforming not only their lives but their community, their villages and society – for the better”


– Prema Gopalan.

A firm believer in the power of women to shift boundaries & mindsets, Prema established Swayam Shikshan Prayog (SSP) in 1998.

Little did she know, she was setting in motion a movement that would spread across India. A movement that is inspiring rural women to step out of their homes, shrug off archaic notions of self, & carve new identities as entrepreneurs, farmers, & community leaders.

‘Sakhis’ as she lovingly called these women, are impacting every facet of their society today. With a strong vision of a developed community, they are battling issues of agriculture, water, health, nutrition, & civic leadership, to create thriving models of development.

Prema’s intrinsic belief in women’s leadership garnered worldwide interest & acknowledgment. In a glittering career spanning three decades, she received several national & international awards. She was the recipient of the 2021 Women Transforming India Award, NITI Aayog’s flagship initiative.

Prema leaves behind an immense legacy. She also leaves behind women leaders who embody her work, her values, & her spirit.

In Loving Memory Of:

Late Mr. Nadarajan V.C.

(19.06.1958-22.04.2024)
Trustee (2003-2024)

In Memory of Mr. V.C. Nadarajan (19.06.1958 – 22.04.2024)

He was a dedicated management consultant and a guiding force in the fields of rural finance, livelihoods, and enterprise since 1992. An alumnus of IIM Ahmedabad and TNAU Coimbatore, he brought together deep academic insight and on-ground experience to his work.

Early in his career, he served as an officer with Indian Overseas Bank and as a development professional with PRADAN, New Delhi. Also he was the Board Member of the Covenant Centre for Development (CCD), Tamil Nadu, which is committed to build community institutions around traditional wisdom to empower the poor and vulnerable communities for sustainable development. Over the years, he became a trusted advisor to national and international development organizations as well as grassroots NGOs, offering his expertise in project and program management focused on rural transformation.

He was a valued Board Member of Swayam Shikshan Prayog (SSP), where his wisdom and strategic thinking left a lasting impact. His loss is deeply felt, and his contributions will continue to inspire us.

C.V.

What We Do

Our Key Sectors

Women-Led Climate Resilient Farming

Repositioning women as farmers & decision-makers—not just labourers.

Women’s Entrepreneurship

Enabling grassroots women to set up women-led business enterprises.

Health, Water, Sanitation & Hygiene:

Women driving change through better WASH practices & nutrition awareness.

Clean Energy & Environment

Women driving equitable, clean energy consumption choices.
Our Initiatives

FPOs

Enabling grassroots women to produce, sell organic products as food security products.

Women Leadership

Enabling grassroots women to get involved in developmental journey with women’s networks.

Collaborations

Access to Finance, Markets, Technology, with Government & Private Sector.

Holistic Development

Developing model villages by integrating women empowerment, sustainable livelihoods, climate resilient agriculture, health, clean energy & others to build strong, self-reliant rural communities.

Awards & Recognition

Awards Received by SSP

Community Excellence / Saksham Samudaya Award

Community Excellence / Saksham Samudaya Award from the International Institute of Security and Safety Management (IISSM) recognizes outstanding contributions towards community empowerment and development.

Global Center on Adaptation (GCA)’s

Global Center on Adaptation (GCA)’s Local Adaptation Champions Awards 2022 at COP27. SSP is one of the four organisations recognised for their work in leading climate change adaptation for vulnerable local communities.

NITI Aayog’s Women Transforming India Award

2021: NITI Aayog’s Women Transforming India Award

Social Entrepreneur of the Year India Award,

2018: Social Entrepreneur of the Year India Award, awarded by Jubilant Bhartia Foundation and Schwab Foundation (WEF)

UNDP Equator Prize

2017: Winner of the Equator Prize declared by the UNDP from 806 nominations from 120 countries for its women led climate resilient agro-ecological farming model

UNFCCC Momentum Award 2016

2016: Winner of the UNFCCC Momentum for Change Lighthouse Activity Award, for empowering grassroots women to emerge as clean energy entrepreneurs and climate change leaders
Awards Received by Grassroots Women Leaders
Sadhana Deshmukh
Global Local Adaptation (CGA)’s
“Local Adaptation Award for
Capacity & Knowledge (for the
Women Led Climate Resilient
Farming Model)” at COP27

Awards Received by Grassroots Women Leaders

Sadhana Deshmukh, a leader and an entrepreneur from the Latur district, was awarded as the 1st runner up in the Micro Enterprise category with Rs 50,000 cash award by SATYA Micro Capital’s Fourth Edition of Vijayalakshmi Das Entrepreneurship Awards 2024.
unnamed (17)
Global Local Adaptation (CGA)’s
“Local Adaptation Award for
Capacity & Knowledge (for the
Women Led Climate Resilient
Farming Model)” at COP27
Prestigious Manikarnika Award
2024
The FPO leader, Anjali Bhagwat Masalkar, has been honored with the prestigious Manikarnika Award 2024, recognizing her remarkable journey as a woman entrepreneur. The award ceremony was held on November 19, 2024, at the Yashwantrao Chavan Center, Mumbai.
unnamed (1)
Global Local Adaptation (CGA)’s
“Local Adaptation Award for
Capacity & Knowledge (for the
Women Led Climate Resilient
Farming Model)” at COP27
“Beyond the Fence National Award for Excellence in Water Management”
SSP’s Marathwada District Transformation Model, working in 6 Blocks and 406 villages in drought-prone Dharashiv district has been awarded the “Beyond the Fence National Award for Excellence in Water Management” by the Confederation of Indian Industry.

Impact

Women Taking The Leads
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Grassroots Women

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Outreach

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States

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Villages

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Districts

Latest News & Events

SP has been awarded with the prestigious ‘Saksham Samudaya’ Award

SSP and IDBI Join Hands to Support Wayanad Landslide Victims

Visit by Heike Roschanski, India Desk Officer, Misereor on 18th November 2024, to Kumbhari village, Solapur District, Maharashtra

We Align

Stories Of Change

Our Women Leaders

𝗦𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗶𝘁𝗮 𝗞𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗶: 𝗔 𝗠𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗹 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝗻 𝗦𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗙𝗮𝗿𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 Sangita Kumari is empowering women farmers through climate-resilient farming and sustainable practices. Trained in …

Dipali’s journey is a true example of women driving rural transformation! Swayam Shikshan Prayog’s Sakhi (village leader), Dipali Jadhav from Umara Village, …

𝗘𝗺𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗪𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘇𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗔𝗴𝗿𝗶𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲: 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗲 𝗞𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗶’𝘀 𝗝𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗲𝘆 𝗧𝗼𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀 𝗦𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗢𝗿𝗴𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗰 𝗙𝗮𝗿𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 In a small village of Shivlalbigha in Bihar’s Gaya district, …

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The organisation is committed to promote sustainable community development by
repositioning women as change makers and fostering collective leadership.

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