Projects

HP-CSR Project -HP LIFE (2010-2011)

HP LIFE (Learning Initiative for Entrepreneurs) has been completed enforced by AWAKE. This program mainly focused on promoting computer literacy to more than 1000 micro-entrepreneurs and youth to enhance their skills and get more knowledge. The STSB and GET-IT program was also conducted in Bangalore and other districts of Karnataka.

ICAR- NAIP PROJECTS (2009- 2012)

A project that not only helps entrepreneurs but also builds skills that enables them to grow, AWAKE  amalgamated with the University of Agriculture Science, Bangalore on a project known as “ Value Chain Commercialization of Maize”. The main aim of this endeavor is to develop a healthy maize-based nutritional food supplement. Under this program, it involved 250 SHG women and farmers as stakeholders by training them in different aspects like production, processing, marketing and also used a Common Facility Centre (Food Incubator) setup at Malavalli, Mandya District. These products were promoted by Awake by a brand known as “MAIZY”.

RIP Project At Koppal And Gulbarga District Supported by DIC -2011

Embellishing of skills is very valuable to every entrepreneur, Awake conducted a program that trained every woman to improve their skills by creating opportunities to establish small-scale industries in those areas.

Partner Institution with Ni-MSME

Awake is a partner institution with Ni- MSME an organization of the Ministry of MSME, Government of India, and Hyderabad mainly to conduct EDP &ESDP under the scheme of Entrepreneurship Development Centre (EDC) across Karnataka.

Enterprise Learning Network

Year: 1996
Place: Bangalore
Sponsored: Women’s World Bank
Objective: Respond to non-financial needs of growth-oriented micro-enterprise in the readymade sector by providing the “Best Practice Learning” in production capacity, product design, quality, and commercial chains.
Methodology: Conducted buyer-seller meets, exhibitions, facilitated market connections, export inquiries, conducted training and credit referral activities as part of the ELN project.
No. of Beneficiaries:

Rural Industrialization Program

Year: 1996-1999
Place: Bijapur and Bagalkot
Sponsored: DIC, Govt. of Karnataka
Objective: Entrepreneurial Awareness &Networking
Methodology: As a training agency for RIP, AWAKE conducted more than 15 Entrepreneurship Awareness Programs (EAPs) and 8 Entrepreneurship Development Programs (EDPs) in different talluk of Bijapur and Bagalkot districts.
No. of Beneficiaries: 290 women participated and trained.

Impact: Successful implementation of the program gave a rise of 225 enterprises in different sectors in that area.
Year: 2001-2003
Place: Bijapur
Sponsored: DIC
Objective: Providing more opportunities for setting up enterprises in Bijapur, RIP was re-launched in Bijapur for further 2 years.
No. of Beneficiaries: NA

Year: 2001-2003
Place: Shimoga District
Sponsored by DIC, SIDBI
Objective: Developing Enterprises and Generating Employment opportunities in rural areas of Shimoga.
Methodology: Providing Skill Training Programs and EDPs in Shimoga district.

Karnataka Watershed several Society (KAWAD)

Year: 2002-2005
Place:  Chinnahagari, Molakalmuru Taluk, Chitradurga District
Sponsored:  Karnataka Watershed Development Society (KAWAD), Department for International Development (DFID), U.K.
Objective: Enhancement of Entrepreneurship Awareness Programs (EAPs), Entrepreneurship Development Programs (EDPs), and Skill Training Programs.
Methodology: Delivered 21 Skill Training Programs in tailoring, embroidery, motor coil winding, food products, dairying, chemical-based products, etc.
No. of Beneficiaries: 1615 SHG members selected from 239 SHGs Impact: The project achieved a settlement rate of more than 60%.

SUJALA Watershed Projects

Sponsored by: World Bank
Objective: Empower the vulnerable, landless, Below Poverty Live (BPL) families in the watershed areas to take up income generation activities or to set up micro-enterprises.
Methodology: AWAKE provided a Resource Agency for the implementation of the three phases of the project.
The following activities were conducted as part of the project:
• Trainers Training Program
• Entrepreneurship Awareness Program
• Skill Based Entrepreneurship Development Program

AWAKE conducted 47 EDPs and 2 Trainers Training Programs No. of Beneficiaries: 1615 SHG members selected from 239 SHGs Impact: The project achieved a settlement rate of more than 60%.

Phase I
Year: 2004-2005
Place: Pavagada, Madhugiri, Tiptur, Sira and Bagepalli and Tumkur. No. of Beneficiaries: 1400 men and women.

Phase II
Year: 2005-2006
Place: Lakkasandra Sub-Watershed of Chikballapura Talluk No. of Beneficiaries 2200

Phase III
Year: 2007-2009
Place: Nitthurhalla Sub-watershed area of Tumkur district.
No. of Beneficiaries:
• 1200 beneficiaries at Amblikoppa Sub-watershed area.
• 1100 beneficiaries at Devaragudihal Sub-watershed areas of Dharwad district.

SWASHAKTHI

Year: 2001
Place: Kolar, Chitradurga, Bellary and Tumkur.
Sponsored: International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and
The World Bank, implemented by Karnataka State Women’s Development Corporation (KSWDC).
Objective: Rural Women’s Development and Empowerment. Methodology: The training imparted was on Development Approach and Awareness Generation, Group formation and Credit Management, Participatory Training Methodology and Facilitation Skills in four districts of Karnataka.
No. of Beneficiaries: 198 SHG members and 20 NGOs.

A Pilot Project for Rehabilitation of Beedi Workers

Year: 2004
Place: Mangalore
Sponsored by: International Labor Organization (ILO)
Objective: An alternate livelihood options to women whose occupation was rolling Beedis
Methodology: Sustainable entrepreneurial activities with relevance to local resources. Developing capacities of the local NGOs in conducting Entrepreneurship Development Program to identify SHG members.
No. of Beneficiaries: 470

Rural Entrepreneurship Development Program (REDP)

Year: 2001, 2004-2005
Place: Shimoga and Chickmagalur in 2001
Bijapur, Shimoga, Hassan, Mysore, Tumkur and Gadag districts of
Karnataka in 2004-2005
Sponsored: NABARD
Objective: Training rural unemployed youth in entrepreneurship development to enable them to set up enterprises of their own. Methodology: Performed a one-month training program along with two years of follow-up.
No. of Beneficiaries:

Food EDPs sponsored by MFPI

Year: 2004-2006
Place: Gadag, Kolar, Tumkur, Doddaballapur and Bangalore.
Sponsored: Ministry of Food Processing Industry, Government of India. Objective: Entrepreneurship Development in Food Processing.
Methodology: AWAKE conducted Entrepreneurship Awareness Programs and EDPs. Follow-up meetings with a panel of resource persons and officials in the area of food consultancy and financial assistance were also conducted.
No. of Beneficiaries: 150

NagaraStreeshakthi Project

Year: 2006
Place: 12 districts of Karnataka
Sponsored: KSWDC
Objective: Empowerment of Women.
Methodology: A one-day orientation program was conducted for the EDP trainers from various organizations of Karnataka. 6 to 7 batches of EDPs were simultaneously conducted in various districts. No. of Beneficiaries: 2680

CAPART- NODAL NGO Project

Year: 2006-2007
Place: 12 districts of Karnataka
Sponsored: Government of India
Objective: Complete development of rural India in an integrated manner with the support of NGOs, for the holistic development of rural areas.
Methodology: AWAKE was identified as the Nodal NGO for the Bangalore Rural district.
Impact: Offices were set up at all the Blocks of the Bangalore rural district.

Community Development Training Program for Tribal Groups -Dawri&HakkiPikki

Year: 2006-2007
Place: Mandy
Sponsored by Volkart Foundation, Mumbai
Objective: Empowering the tribal ‘Davari’ and ‘HakkiPikki’ communities. Methodology: Entrepreneurship cum skill development training Program for attaining economic self-reliance
No. of Beneficiaries: 220 families

Women Self Employment Counseling Centre – WSECC

Year: 2006-2007, 2009-2010
Place: Doddaballapura, Nelamangala, Devanahalli and Hoskote
Sponsored by: KSWDC
Objective: Conducted as part of Mahila Swa-Udoyoga Marga Darshana Kendra.
Methodology: An initial awareness program was conducted in respective areas followed by one-on-one counseling sessions for the candidates. The program acted as a confidence-building platform for rural women to venture into the prospective business of their choice. No. of Beneficiaries: 500

HP-CSR Projects

Sponsored: Hewlett Packard –Micro-Enterprise Development under their CSR for Asia-Pacific region.
Objective: To educate and train micro-enterprises to use computers for their day-to-day business operation.

HP- Micro Enterprise Development Program

Year: 2007-2008
Place: Bangalore
Methodology: The training was imparted using the Micro enterprise
Acceleration Program (MAP) curriculum designed by H.P. which focuses on usage of basic software to manage the business operations.
No. of Beneficiaries: 135
Impact: Computer literacy among women entrepreneurs

HP- Enterprise Learning Program

Year: 2008-2009
Place: Bangalore
Methodology: Computer literacy was promoted among micro entrepreneurs through the STSB program that (Smart Technology for Small
Businesses) and among youth through GET-IT (Graduate
Entrepreneurship training in IT). HP provided curriculum for both the programs and trained the trainers conducting these programs. No. of Beneficiaries: 250 for STSB, 50 for GET-IT

HP LIFE (Learning Initiatives for Entrepreneurs)

Year: 2009-2010
Place: Bangalore, Belgaum, Davangere, Bangalore rural.
No. of Beneficiaries: 399 for STSB and 356 for GET-IT
Impact: 1830 women were trained directly, 7000 participants were given awareness on computers.

Innovation Promotion in MSME
Innovation Cooperation Projects (ICP)

“Innovation cooperation projects (ICP)” are an important tool to strengthen SME innovation system at cluster/local level through facilitating and supporting enhanced collaboration and cooperation between innovation enabling service providers (research, academic, technology etc) and MSMEs on technological (product , process and service) problems/challenges.

Thus ICP aims to create new/improved technology, knowledge, products, processes or services which meet the needs of one SMEs or group of SMEs in a cluster.

“Innovation Promotion in MSME” project would extend support (facilitation, networking, managerial and financial) in initiation and implementation of ICP with following main objectives (indicative not exhaustive):

•  Solution geared towards “Technological, product design, process, business model” constraints; which are considered as an impediments to existing industry’s competitiveness and sustainability
•  Intended at product diversification/new product development
•  Advancement in technique of product testing with a view to ensuring cleaner, more efficient performance and reduced greenhouse gases etc;
•  Development of new production methods, manufacturing and process technologies to substantially increase productivity and efficiency
•  Nature and degree of strategic technology, process, product innovation and/or excellence that is new to the cluster/firm network
•  Advancement of industrial know-how by adopting national/international best practices to respective cluster

AWAKE – GIZ Innovation Facilitation Centre – IFC

Association of Women Entrepreneurs of Karnataka (AWAKE) and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) are implementing a bilateral cooperation project- Innovation Facilitation Cell- IFC.

This project aims to strengthen the functioning of BMO representing women MSMEs for Growth and sustenance of their Businesses and also improve the local innovation ecosystem through fostering cooperation between different stakeholders and strengthening the innovation management capacity and sustainability of MSMEs in Bangalore.

Innovation Facilitation Cell-IFC is an important tool to strengthen SME innovation system at cluster/local level through facilitating and supporting enhanced collaboration and cooperation between innovation enabling service providers (research, academic, technology, etc.) and MSMEs on technological (product, process and service)problems/challenges.
Thus IFC aims to create new/improved technology, knowledge, products, processes or services which meet the needs of one SMEs or group of SMEs in a cluster.

“Innovation Promotion in MSME” project would extend support (facilitation, networking, managerial and financial) in initiation and implementation of IFC with following main objectives:

• Solution geared towards “Technological, product design, process, business model” constraints; which are considered as impediments to existing industry’s competitiveness and sustainability
• Intended at product diversification/new product development
• Advancement in technique of product testing with a view to ensuring cleaner, more efficient performance and reduced greenhouse gases etc.
• Development of new production methods, manufacturing and process technologies to substantially increase productivity and efficiency
• Nature and degree of strategic technology, process, product innovation and/or excellence that is new to the cluster/firm network
• Advancement of industrial know-how by adopting national/international best practices to respective cluster

Objectives of IFC

“To promote the Importance and Opportunities driven by Innovation and Technology so that more women Incubate, Innovate and Invest in Business and join economic mainstream and as well generate employment opportunities “

• Organizing workshops with Certificates for promoting information, knowledge, technology and innovation for Women entrepreneurs and budding women entrepreneurs in SMEs sectors

1. Food Industries
2. Handicrafts
3. Beauty and Wellness

• Introducing MSMEs to innovation practices & helping them develop system of innovation
• Supporting to create and nurture linkages with stakeholders (buyers, academia, government, banks etc.) for promoting innovation at cluster level
• Supporting to develop and offer ‘innovation assistance services’ for MSMEs
• Exposure visit to adapt Best Practices

In total 613 budding Entrepreneurs, Startups and existing women MSMEs based out of Bangalore were benefitted with technical and financial sessions and resources attending 15 workshops conducted by GIZ sponsored -  Innovation Facilitation Centre at AWAKE during September 2020 – March 2021. Nearly 22 Resource persons and domain experts handled the sessions. They are from:

• University of Agricultural Sciences, UAS Bangalore
• TUV Food Safety Auditors
• Institute of Advance Studies
• Director General of Foreign Trade
• of Handicrafts service center, GOK
• of Industries and Commerce, GOK
• Technical Consultancy Services of Karnataka, GOK
• Karnataka State Finance Corporation, GOK
• Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts
• State Bank of India
• National Institute of Fashion Technology
• JOIS Marketing and Selling Consultancy Services
• M/s Handikrafts Sourcing
• Experts from Organic Farming and Organic Food Industries
• SELCO – Solar ENERGY Consultants
• Role models – Women member Entrepreneurs of AWAKE
• Food Industry visit to M/s Urban Millets and M/s Novavita