Axis Bank Foundation launches an ‘Enterprise Development Programme’ which will span 18 months to train and equip its partner NGOs on the know-how of rural entrepreneurship. This programme is designed in collaboration with Aga Khan Rural Support Programme India (AKRSPI) to promote and boost Sustainable Livelihood Development through Rural Enterprises & Entrepreneurship program.

Enterprise Development Programme will begin with a 3-day workshop in Netrang, Bharuch, Gujarat from 28^th May 2024 to 30^th May 2024.  The workshop will comprise interactive methods such as field visits, peer learning, expert interactions, simulations, and group assignments, ensuring an immersive and enriching collaborative learning experience. The programme will focus nurturing rural entrepreneurs, by providing them tools, inputs, and a deep understanding of rural business opportunities. Additionally, it will help the participating NGOs to build robust internalized systems and processes and train the participants for rural entrepreneurship development.

Key features of the programme include:

“Launching the Enterprise Development Programme in partnership with AKRSPI marks a pivotal moment for us. Through this initiative, we are committed to focusing on our mission to enhance livelihood, foster economic mobility and provide opportunities to help rural families and communities thrive. The Enterprise Development Programme is dedicated to empowering rural entrepreneurs, nurturing sustainable livelihoods, and fostering economic growth. Through comprehensive tools, training, and steadfast support, we aim to cultivate a thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem that not only tackles unemployment but also enhanced capacities of rural communities,” said Dhruvi Shah, ET and CEO, Axis Bank Foundation while talking about the programme.

“At AKRSPI, we believe in the power of grassroots entrepreneurs to drive meaningful change in rural areas. Rural and tribal areas in our country have huge inheritance potential to generate large scale employment through small business, to realise its full potential needed a collaborative and nurturing ecosystem. The enterprise development programme with Axis Bank Foundation is a step in this direction. The programme aims to build capacity of rural entrepreneurs to ideate, start and expand their businesses. Climate change and Global warming are real threats to rural communities and their livelihoods, investment in rural entrepreneurs will create diversified source of income and help in building stronger, more resilient communities’’– said Naveen Patidar, CEO, Aga Khan Rural Support Programme-India

This collaboration underscores a significant commitment to tackling unemployment and fostering sustainable livelihoods through rural entrepreneurship. By supporting rural entrepreneurs and enhancing their business turnovers, the Enterprise Development Programme is set to make a meaningful impact on rural economies. This initiative highlights the power of collaboration and innovation in addressing India’s employment challenges, paving the way for a brighter, more prosperous future for rural communities.

About Axis Bank Foundation:

Axis Bank Foundation is committed to aiding vulnerable rural communities, aiming to secure stable and sustainable livelihoods. The foundation focuses on creating economic opportunities for small and marginal farmers as well as landless rural citizens. It implements systems to enhance income through agriculture, natural resource management, livestock, and by establishing financial and market linkages. Additionally, it offers vocational skills to unemployed youth, both able and disabled, in urban and rural India. Working with a wide network of NGO-partners, the foundation tailors programmes to meet specific community needs. With a vision to reach the most marginalized communities, Axis Bank Foundation aspires to create lasting socio-economic impact, aiming to affect two million households by 2025.

For further information on Axis Bank Foundation, please refer to the website: https://www.axisbankfoundation.org/ and follow Axis Bank Foundation on LinkedIn for more updates

About Axis Bank:

Axis Bank is one of the largest private sector banks in India. Axis Bank offers the entire spectrum of services to customer segments covering Large and Mid-Corporates, SME, Agriculture, and Retail Businesses. With its 5,377 domestic branches (including extension counters) and 16,026 ATMs across the country as on 31st March 2024. The network of Axis Bank spreads across 2,963 centres, enabling the Bank to reach out to a large cross-section of customers with an array of products and services. The Axis Group includes Axis Mutual Fund, Axis Securities Ltd., Axis Finance, Axis Trustee, Axis Capital, A.TReDS Ltd., Freecharge, Axis Pension Fund and Axis Bank Foundation.

For further information on Axis Bank, please refer to the website: https://www.axisbank.com

About AKRSPI

Aga Khan Rural Support Programme (India) is a non-denominational, non-government development organization. AKRSP(I) works as a catalyst for the betterment of rural communities by providing direct support to marginalised communities.  AKRSPI’s core programmes, in the domains of work & enterprise, agriculture & climate resilience and rural governance, have impacted lives of over 3.5 million individuals in over 3255 villages of Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and Maharashtra. Over 80% of the household impacted by AKRSPI’s work belong to marginalised communities. Providing dignified economic opportunity to rural and tribal communities is the core of AKRSPI’s work.  AKRSP(I)’s entrepreneurship development programme focuses on providing entrepreneurship development support to youth from tribal and rural communities by providing trainings, mentoring, networking, seed funding, financial linkages, and handholding support to successfully start and expand small businesses.

For further information on AKRSPI, please refer to the website: https://www.akrspindia.org.in