Ibtada was registered on 18th November 1997. The field operations started towards the end of 1998. Ibtada evolved its program over two decades engaging intensively with community and building on the experiences. Recently, Ibtada expanded its geographies. Currently, it is operating in five districts two States, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh of India, and reaches out in above 550 villages and 50000 households in 13 blocks.
Ibtada’s focus in the most marginalised- women and girls from minority, SC and ST communities. We bring them to the forefront of development dialogues and action and equip them with new skills, knowledge and confidence and facilitate the to foster change in their communities. We work largely on five program.
Ibtada’s stated approach is to put women and girls at the forefront for their empowerment of its interventions across 5 key themes:
• Women`s Institutions led Financial Inclusion: Promotes and handholds women Self Help Groups (SHGs), their clusters and federations to facilitate financial inclusion for access to finance for supporting women led livelihoods and women-run enterprises. Enables collective savings, voluntary savings and internal lending for members and builds the capacity of SHGs, clusters, federations and other NGOs and agencies in the region working on similar model.
• Women-led livelihoods: Work with women who are in SHGs for strengthening their livelihoods through (1) training them on package of practices (PoP), regular handholding and technical support and helping in accessing quality seeds and other inputs etc. for agriculture based livelihoods, (2) training them on improving rearing practices, quality animal induction, handholding and technical support, better feed and fodder, shelter and vet care, etc. for dairy and goat based livelihoods, (3) training on rearing practices, handholding and technical support, accessing DoCs (day old chicks), shelter, quality feed and vet care etc. in back yard poultry based livelihoods and (4) training, handholding and technical support, access to inputs and market linkages for women-micro entrepreneurs. (5) Climate resilient initiatives includes improved technologies for water savings, farming practices, rain water harvesting, plantations etc.
Trains women as Pashu Sakhis (animal companions) and Krishi Sakhis (farming companions) who help peer farmers and animal rearers increase their incomes by providing them with inputs on best practices. Helped establish three women-run Farmer Producer Companies for facilitating access to inputs (seed, fertilizers etc.), agricultural tools and to sell their produce.
• Improved access to entitlements: Trains women in the community to act as change agents, Adhikar Sakhis (rights companions), and enhance capacity of women institutions and builds community awareness around the government schemes, their rights and constitutions to access important government entitlements such as MGNREGA, PDS, LPG gas connections, etc.
• Girls’ empowerment: Runs Girls Resource Centers (GRCs), sports, boy`s clubs and community (especially parents, religious leaders etc.) awareness for girls empowerment and provides additional career support through life skill training, computer education, and career counseling.
• Girls Education: Ibtada’s Taleemshalas (learning centers for girls till grade 5) were evolved as model learning centres which were mainstreamed with government schools in 2014 after the Right to Education Act mandated compulsory education for all. It now trains teachers and builds management, and support girls educations through learnings centres 6-8th grade and 9-10th grade, running one schools from 6-8th grade and supports girls to access educations by helping in transport for girls upto 12th grade and fee & transport for girls beyond 12th class.
