Bycycleprice.com is a product review site that mainly features top brand bicycle brands worldwide. On this site you can find detailed review of different types of bicycles and other products like Home and Kichen, beauty home improvement products.
Sunday, December 4, 2022
Thursday, November 24, 2022
Best Furniture Brands In India
Ahouse without furniture is like an empty canvas waiting for its beauty to be revealed. As a result, furniture is both a decorative element and a necessity in the home. It also describes our fashion sense. A well-organized piece of furniture creates an aesthetic environment by increasing the comfort level and beauty of the space. As a result, when planning to renovate or decorate your home, furniture design is crucial. Furniture consumes a significant portion of your budget. Knowing the best quality furniture brands/companies in India will therefore assist you in selecting the best furniture for your home.
Here, we have made your job easy by listing the top furniture brands like Durian, Wipro, BoConcept, Evok, etc and buy their products in online stores. We have categorized furniture brands into Home, Office, and Luxury furniture. Learn more about furniture brands at watanz.in
Friday, June 13, 2014
Turning dreams into reality with their own savings
A dearth of capital is usually an impediment in the execution of many new business ventures. But some women entrepreneurs have turned their dreams into reality by choosing business ideas that require a minimum of capital, where their savings and skill-sets alone have helped set the ball rolling.
Prospective women entrepreneurs often are ignorant of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) guideline that no collateral is required for bank loans of up to Rs 1 crore in the micro and small enterprise sector. Nor do they know of the several schemes of assistance offered by the Central and state governments.
Undeterred by these hurdles, many women with the passion to become entrepreneurs have succeeded in creating a niche for themselves. Having reached a critical threshold in their businesses, they are now looking for funding.
Gagandeep Kaur, 25, has been supplying ready-to-eat meals to over 350 clients at their doorstep every day. She started her venture four years ago, when her father died and the family needed a source of income. This business needed a minimum of investment and with the help of her mother she forayed into preparation and distribution of fresh meals under the name 'Ghar Ka Khaana'.
Kaur and her team of eight now have their full with orders for birthday parties, kitty parties and small wedding celebrations. "I am now thinking of opening a restaurant but that will need funds. Until now the investments were meagre but for expansion we may look for financial help," she explained.
Manisha Ahlawat, 38, who worked for 10 years with Reliance and Mahindra Retail, dreamt of opening a 'women only' fitness centre. "I put at stake my own savings and the savings of my close relatives. My journey began in 2010 when I became the master franchisee for Vivafit Portugal in India, and rolled out Vivafit India Inc. In a short span we opened two fitness centres at Gurgaon and one in Delhi. Franchises were given in Guwahati and Chandigarh, and we may expand our footprint in Lucknow and Mumbai shortly."
Further expansion, according to Ahlawat, will need funding from banks. She realises that in the wake of the slowdown and the bad-loan problem of banks, borrowing money from banks will not be easy. But a woman entrepreneur should be ready to face all this, she added.
Leena Singh, 40, of Shree Kalindi Art, has recently relocated to Chandigarh from Mathura. Born in Madhya Pradesh and married into a Mathura family, she started working with a local NGO and then began making brass handicrafts. Location in business really matters, said Singh, who explains that in small towns a manufacturer is dependent on traders, who make fat margins.
On the advice of close relatives, she shifted base to Chandigarh to cater to a bigger market, she explains, adding, "I regularly participate in exhibitions across India and have won appreciation. But I need funds to create better objects, as I have many ideas. I have a small warehouse and wish to display items in a more professional way. My artifacts get exported too. But designers get peanuts due to lack of branding."
Shreya Singh, 28, a diet consultant in Chandigarh, has one clinic each in Chandigarh and Panchkula. She wants to add more, and towns like Patiala, Ludhiana, Jalandhar and Amritsar are on her radar, but she wants to tread carefully instead of expanding too fast, too soon. "There is a huge market for diet consultants due to lifestyle problems these days. The initial investments are quite low, as the quality of consultation is more important. But in order to make value additions to your services, investments become indispensable," she said.
All these women feel that, having proved their worth, they may now face fewer road blocks in securing funds. They believe that venture capital and angel investment come with a high cost, and ask: why go in for costly funds when cheaper options are available? So bankers, get ready, for women borrowers are going to be knocking on your doors!
Source: http://www.business-standard.com/article/sme/turning-dreams-into-reality-with-their-own-savings-114050501268_1.html
Prospective women entrepreneurs often are ignorant of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) guideline that no collateral is required for bank loans of up to Rs 1 crore in the micro and small enterprise sector. Nor do they know of the several schemes of assistance offered by the Central and state governments.
Undeterred by these hurdles, many women with the passion to become entrepreneurs have succeeded in creating a niche for themselves. Having reached a critical threshold in their businesses, they are now looking for funding.
Gagandeep Kaur, 25, has been supplying ready-to-eat meals to over 350 clients at their doorstep every day. She started her venture four years ago, when her father died and the family needed a source of income. This business needed a minimum of investment and with the help of her mother she forayed into preparation and distribution of fresh meals under the name 'Ghar Ka Khaana'.
Kaur and her team of eight now have their full with orders for birthday parties, kitty parties and small wedding celebrations. "I am now thinking of opening a restaurant but that will need funds. Until now the investments were meagre but for expansion we may look for financial help," she explained.
Manisha Ahlawat, 38, who worked for 10 years with Reliance and Mahindra Retail, dreamt of opening a 'women only' fitness centre. "I put at stake my own savings and the savings of my close relatives. My journey began in 2010 when I became the master franchisee for Vivafit Portugal in India, and rolled out Vivafit India Inc. In a short span we opened two fitness centres at Gurgaon and one in Delhi. Franchises were given in Guwahati and Chandigarh, and we may expand our footprint in Lucknow and Mumbai shortly."
Further expansion, according to Ahlawat, will need funding from banks. She realises that in the wake of the slowdown and the bad-loan problem of banks, borrowing money from banks will not be easy. But a woman entrepreneur should be ready to face all this, she added.
Leena Singh, 40, of Shree Kalindi Art, has recently relocated to Chandigarh from Mathura. Born in Madhya Pradesh and married into a Mathura family, she started working with a local NGO and then began making brass handicrafts. Location in business really matters, said Singh, who explains that in small towns a manufacturer is dependent on traders, who make fat margins.
On the advice of close relatives, she shifted base to Chandigarh to cater to a bigger market, she explains, adding, "I regularly participate in exhibitions across India and have won appreciation. But I need funds to create better objects, as I have many ideas. I have a small warehouse and wish to display items in a more professional way. My artifacts get exported too. But designers get peanuts due to lack of branding."
Shreya Singh, 28, a diet consultant in Chandigarh, has one clinic each in Chandigarh and Panchkula. She wants to add more, and towns like Patiala, Ludhiana, Jalandhar and Amritsar are on her radar, but she wants to tread carefully instead of expanding too fast, too soon. "There is a huge market for diet consultants due to lifestyle problems these days. The initial investments are quite low, as the quality of consultation is more important. But in order to make value additions to your services, investments become indispensable," she said.
All these women feel that, having proved their worth, they may now face fewer road blocks in securing funds. They believe that venture capital and angel investment come with a high cost, and ask: why go in for costly funds when cheaper options are available? So bankers, get ready, for women borrowers are going to be knocking on your doors!
Source: http://www.business-standard.com/article/sme/turning-dreams-into-reality-with-their-own-savings-114050501268_1.html
Virtual business innovation centre to help women entrepreneurs
The Confederation of Women Entrepreneurs (Cowe), a Hyderabad-based non-profit organisation, in partnership with University of East London (UEL), is planning to set up a virtual Business Innovation Centre (BIC). The business-to-business portal aims to create a trusted circle of cooperation to support women’s ventures to trade in the global market place.
This is the first International European Union (EU) business centre in India and Cowe is the only organisation from India to be linked to the central portal at London, along with 164 other centres from 22 countries, Hannah Simcoe-Read, professor of entrepreneurship, Royal Docks Business School, UEL and the coordinator for the centre, told Business Standard.
According to the findings of UEL’s study on women’s enterprises, women around the world face difficulties in marketing their products and this initiative will help them accelerate their business growth by giving them an international platform, she added.
This centre is part of UEL’s network of international small and medium enterprises (SME) Centres of Excellence in the BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia, India and China) and the EU, which will assist SMEs that are internationalising.
The centre will connect the community of international women entrepreneurs within BRIC countries and the EU in empowering and training. This centre will help in internationalising female entrepreneurial ventures and creating a special gallery to showcase and trade their products globally to support venture growth, governance and leadership skills, Simcoe-Read said.
Simcoe-Read came to India through the Indian School of Business (ISB)-Goldman Sachs women’s entrepreneurship programme in 2008 and selected Cowe from India, Cowe president Sandhya Reddy said.
Cowe will sign an MoU with CEL in January 2011. Under the partnership, a design studio will be set up in India to make customised products with the help of designers from the design institute of the University and Indian weavers.
The products will be custom-made, eyeing international buyers, Reddy added. “This partnership will bring the design aspect and the clusters. We have already started the work with sarees.”
The portal will display Cowe’s Indianised products, including handicrafts, jewellery, packaged foods and dress material and it will help in the overall business growth, Reddy added.The portal will come up in three phases with a total investment of Rs50-55 lakh, with the support from the Union ministry of micro small and medium industries .
The entrepreneurs can be a member of the centre with a Rs10,000 life membership fee. “Initially, only Cowe members can display their products. Later, we will source products from other states,” Suman Kumar, senior president of Cowe, said.
This is the first International European Union (EU) business centre in India and Cowe is the only organisation from India to be linked to the central portal at London, along with 164 other centres from 22 countries, Hannah Simcoe-Read, professor of entrepreneurship, Royal Docks Business School, UEL and the coordinator for the centre, told Business Standard.
According to the findings of UEL’s study on women’s enterprises, women around the world face difficulties in marketing their products and this initiative will help them accelerate their business growth by giving them an international platform, she added.
This centre is part of UEL’s network of international small and medium enterprises (SME) Centres of Excellence in the BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia, India and China) and the EU, which will assist SMEs that are internationalising.
The centre will connect the community of international women entrepreneurs within BRIC countries and the EU in empowering and training. This centre will help in internationalising female entrepreneurial ventures and creating a special gallery to showcase and trade their products globally to support venture growth, governance and leadership skills, Simcoe-Read said.
Simcoe-Read came to India through the Indian School of Business (ISB)-Goldman Sachs women’s entrepreneurship programme in 2008 and selected Cowe from India, Cowe president Sandhya Reddy said.
Cowe will sign an MoU with CEL in January 2011. Under the partnership, a design studio will be set up in India to make customised products with the help of designers from the design institute of the University and Indian weavers.
The products will be custom-made, eyeing international buyers, Reddy added. “This partnership will bring the design aspect and the clusters. We have already started the work with sarees.”
The portal will display Cowe’s Indianised products, including handicrafts, jewellery, packaged foods and dress material and it will help in the overall business growth, Reddy added.The portal will come up in three phases with a total investment of Rs50-55 lakh, with the support from the Union ministry of micro small and medium industries .
The entrepreneurs can be a member of the centre with a Rs10,000 life membership fee. “Initially, only Cowe members can display their products. Later, we will source products from other states,” Suman Kumar, senior president of Cowe, said.
Source: http://www.business-standard.com/article/sme/virtual-business-innovation-centre-to-help-women-entrepreneurs-110112300040_1.html
Sewa who Gave the Women Wings To Fly
Self-Employed Women's Association of India (SEWA) is a trade union for poor, self-employed women workers in India. SEWA members are women who earn a living through their own labour or small business. They are the unprotected labour force of India. Constituting 93% of the labour force, these are workers of the unorganized sector. Of the female labour force in India, more than 94% are in the unorganized sector. However their work is not counted and hence remains invisible. SEWA is strongly supported by the World Bank which holds it out as a model to be replicated elsewhere.
SEWA's main goals are to organize women workers for full employment and self-reliance. SEWA aims to mainstream marginalized, poor women in the informal sector and lift them out of their poverty. SEWA has interacted and has been advised by many law firms like HSA.
"Health and child care and insurance is also part of their economic condition. Without that you can't come out of poverty" – Dr Mirai Chatterjee, Director of Social Security, SEWA. SEWA has two stated goals, Full Employment and Self Reliance. They have 11 questions they use to evaluate their progress
"Health and child care and insurance is also part of their economic condition. Without that you can't come out of poverty" – Dr Mirai Chatterjee, Director of Social Security, SEWA. SEWA has two stated goals, Full Employment and Self Reliance. They have 11 questions they use to evaluate their progress
- Have more members obtained more employment?
- Has their income increased?
- Have they obtained food and nutrition?
- Has their health been safeguarded?
- Have they obtained child-care?
- Have they obtained or improved their housing?
- Have their assets increased? (e.g. their own savings, land, house, work-space, tools or work, licenses, identity cards, cattled and share in cooperatives; and all in their own name.
- Have the worker's organisational strength increased?
- Has worker's leadership increased?
- Have they become self-reliant both collectively and individually?
- Have they become literate?
Waves Hair : Hair She Comes
Her passion for doing something creative and innovative in the hitherto unexplored area of hair extension never dwindled as she put in more and more efforts in studying the world of hair care and beauty.
The entrepreneurship in her awakened and she packed her bag and went to Brazil to explore the business and learn the tricks of the trade. “I was not sure of the global demand and supply equation of hair extension and I sat down to explore the demand of human hair on the net. The first site I saw was of Alibaba.com. I smelled hope as the site afforded me a fund of opportunities. I went through all the details about hair companies on the site and I decided to plunge into the vast arena,” she says.
Virtually, with no experience of managing a manufacturing unit for an international product, she decided to have a go and went about setting her own company on the Alibaba.com's platform. Mallika Shreekumar, owner and CEO of Waves Hair, has since made waves in the business. Today, Waves Hair exports to countries in North America, South America, Eastern Europe, Southeast Asia, Africa, Mid East and Eastern Asia and Western Europe.
The entrepreneurship in her awakened and she packed her bag and went to Brazil to explore the business and learn the tricks of the trade. “I was not sure of the global demand and supply equation of hair extension and I sat down to explore the demand of human hair on the net. The first site I saw was of Alibaba.com. I smelled hope as the site afforded me a fund of opportunities. I went through all the details about hair companies on the site and I decided to plunge into the vast arena,” she says.
Virtually, with no experience of managing a manufacturing unit for an international product, she decided to have a go and went about setting her own company on the Alibaba.com's platform. Mallika Shreekumar, owner and CEO of Waves Hair, has since made waves in the business. Today, Waves Hair exports to countries in North America, South America, Eastern Europe, Southeast Asia, Africa, Mid East and Eastern Asia and Western Europe.
Completely managed by women, Waves Hair offers various hair extension solutions. The company uses 100% natural high quality Indian Remy hair with the latest technology incorporating the best methodology of Brazil, Italy, Germany & Korea, making it suitable for hair extensions, pre-bond keratin extensions & machine weft.
“In 2005, I took up a free membership at Alibaba.com as I was still learning the ropes of managing my company. However, I realized that that Alibaba.com offers great potential to grow my business in the international market. Within 2-3 months I had signed up for the Gold Supplier Membership,” says Mallika.
Mallika believes that B2B marketplaces are the best platforms for going global. “Being a Gold Supplier member of Alibaba.com has been integral in gaining the confidence of buyers and lends credibility to her business. “Today, 100% of Waves Hair's business comes from Alibaba.com. I get at least 5-6 enquiries from Alibaba.com everyday”, she is proud to announce.
The platform afforded me umpteen opportunities opportunities to attend tradeshows and events around the world, including Paris and Germany. As a happy member of Alibaba.com, she recommends Alibaba.com to any aspiring businessperson. “I would advise entrepreneurs expevially the start ups looking for opportunities and success to try out Alibaba.com's services.”
“In 2005, I took up a free membership at Alibaba.com as I was still learning the ropes of managing my company. However, I realized that that Alibaba.com offers great potential to grow my business in the international market. Within 2-3 months I had signed up for the Gold Supplier Membership,” says Mallika.
Mallika believes that B2B marketplaces are the best platforms for going global. “Being a Gold Supplier member of Alibaba.com has been integral in gaining the confidence of buyers and lends credibility to her business. “Today, 100% of Waves Hair's business comes from Alibaba.com. I get at least 5-6 enquiries from Alibaba.com everyday”, she is proud to announce.
The platform afforded me umpteen opportunities opportunities to attend tradeshows and events around the world, including Paris and Germany. As a happy member of Alibaba.com, she recommends Alibaba.com to any aspiring businessperson. “I would advise entrepreneurs expevially the start ups looking for opportunities and success to try out Alibaba.com's services.”
Source: http://smeworld.org
India’s Poorless Poor Waiting to be Empowered
According to World Bank, 371 million people in India live in abject poverty. About 70 percent of the population lives in India's six lakhs villages. Majority of them live on agriculture produce by tilling lands and are engaged in petty business as micro entrepreneurs. Nearly 60 percent of the rural households do not have electricity and live without any basic amenities.
A major cause of poverty among India's rural people, both iniduals and communities, is lack of access to productive assets and financial services and social services. Micro-enterprise development, the only mechanism to enable the rural poor to generate income and improve their living conditions, attracted government attention only recently. As a result, micro-finance gained growing recognition as an effective tool in improving the quality of life of the rural poor.
This model of SHGs (Self Help Groups) bank linkage attracted attention as a possible way of delivery microfinance services to the poor. NABARD estimates that there are 2.2 million SHGs in India, representating 33 million members, that have taken loans from banks under its linkage program. This does not include SHGs that have not borrowed.
In India, the micro finance movement has almost assumed the shape of an industry, embracing thousands of NGOs/MFIs, community-based self-help groups and their federations, co-operatives in their varied forms, credit unions, public and private banks. According to SIDBI, during the last decade, the sector has witnessed a sharp growth with the emergence of a number of Micro Finance Institutions (MFIs) that are providing financial and non-financial support to the poor in an effort to lift them out of poverty. The MFI channel of credit delivery, coupled with the national level programme of SHG-Bank Linkage, today, reaches out to millions of poor across the country.
However, SHGs face problems in dealing with banks. In the midst of rapid upscaling of the SHG linkage, several groups and NGOs report denial of loans or delay in dealing with their proposals. The initial loan volumes are low. Often the banks require the groups to place all their savings with the bank, leaving little scope for internal lending of member's savings. The repeated visits, documentation requirements, lack of time on the part of branch staff to visit the groups in their villages and the lack of continuity of branch staff add to the woes of the groups.
The microcredit era that began in the 1970s quickly lost its momentum, to be replaced by a 'financial systems' approach. While microcredit achieved a great deal, especially in urban and semi-urban areas and with entrepreneurial families, its efforts in delivering financial services in the rural areas have been dismal.
Unfriendly attitude and middlemen
A classic example of how our rural banks works is given below. Periodical review meetings with the farmers are a regular feature in Indian Villages. One such meet was organized early November this year, in Chitrakoot in Bundelkhand region in Uttar Pradesh. The meet was called Rabi Ghoshti (Rabi Meet). It was attended by a large number of farmers. The meeting was held in the presence of Agriculture Production Commissioner.
Several issues highlighting the problems faced by the farmers in the region were discussed. Bundelkhand is a traditionally drought-hit area and has scant rainfall. Certain NGOs are active in the area but nothing much could be done. More often than not, farmers have to turn towards banks for funds.
The meet noted with concern the farmers' woes and the difficulties they face with the banks. There was a general consensus that either the banks are not friendly and ask for different documents or collaterals/securities throwing all norms to the dustbin or middlemen are active claiming a share from the loans granted. Numerous farmers even complained that many bank officials harassed them by wanting a commission on the loans. Serious monitoring of the working of our rural banks is almost not existent. Banks must find the time to analyse the reasons for these problems and design solutions that could work seamlessly in the field.
In India where microfinance movement is all set to attain the status of an industry, the role of MFIs must be streamlined. It is satisfying to note that numerous NGOs engaged in improving the lot of the rural poor have produced results which can easily work as model for our MFIs and rural development agencies.
It must not be forgotten that if India has to achieve the desired economic growth, the role of 'micro-finance' for the whopping rural population can not be undermined and no a non-sense approach is the need of the hour.
Read more about Amazon best seller in kerala here: https://www.groxp.com/success-story-amazon-best-seller-in-kerala/
A major cause of poverty among India's rural people, both iniduals and communities, is lack of access to productive assets and financial services and social services. Micro-enterprise development, the only mechanism to enable the rural poor to generate income and improve their living conditions, attracted government attention only recently. As a result, micro-finance gained growing recognition as an effective tool in improving the quality of life of the rural poor.
This model of SHGs (Self Help Groups) bank linkage attracted attention as a possible way of delivery microfinance services to the poor. NABARD estimates that there are 2.2 million SHGs in India, representating 33 million members, that have taken loans from banks under its linkage program. This does not include SHGs that have not borrowed.
In India, the micro finance movement has almost assumed the shape of an industry, embracing thousands of NGOs/MFIs, community-based self-help groups and their federations, co-operatives in their varied forms, credit unions, public and private banks. According to SIDBI, during the last decade, the sector has witnessed a sharp growth with the emergence of a number of Micro Finance Institutions (MFIs) that are providing financial and non-financial support to the poor in an effort to lift them out of poverty. The MFI channel of credit delivery, coupled with the national level programme of SHG-Bank Linkage, today, reaches out to millions of poor across the country.
However, SHGs face problems in dealing with banks. In the midst of rapid upscaling of the SHG linkage, several groups and NGOs report denial of loans or delay in dealing with their proposals. The initial loan volumes are low. Often the banks require the groups to place all their savings with the bank, leaving little scope for internal lending of member's savings. The repeated visits, documentation requirements, lack of time on the part of branch staff to visit the groups in their villages and the lack of continuity of branch staff add to the woes of the groups.
The microcredit era that began in the 1970s quickly lost its momentum, to be replaced by a 'financial systems' approach. While microcredit achieved a great deal, especially in urban and semi-urban areas and with entrepreneurial families, its efforts in delivering financial services in the rural areas have been dismal.
Unfriendly attitude and middlemen
A classic example of how our rural banks works is given below. Periodical review meetings with the farmers are a regular feature in Indian Villages. One such meet was organized early November this year, in Chitrakoot in Bundelkhand region in Uttar Pradesh. The meet was called Rabi Ghoshti (Rabi Meet). It was attended by a large number of farmers. The meeting was held in the presence of Agriculture Production Commissioner.
Several issues highlighting the problems faced by the farmers in the region were discussed. Bundelkhand is a traditionally drought-hit area and has scant rainfall. Certain NGOs are active in the area but nothing much could be done. More often than not, farmers have to turn towards banks for funds.
The meet noted with concern the farmers' woes and the difficulties they face with the banks. There was a general consensus that either the banks are not friendly and ask for different documents or collaterals/securities throwing all norms to the dustbin or middlemen are active claiming a share from the loans granted. Numerous farmers even complained that many bank officials harassed them by wanting a commission on the loans. Serious monitoring of the working of our rural banks is almost not existent. Banks must find the time to analyse the reasons for these problems and design solutions that could work seamlessly in the field.
In India where microfinance movement is all set to attain the status of an industry, the role of MFIs must be streamlined. It is satisfying to note that numerous NGOs engaged in improving the lot of the rural poor have produced results which can easily work as model for our MFIs and rural development agencies.
It must not be forgotten that if India has to achieve the desired economic growth, the role of 'micro-finance' for the whopping rural population can not be undermined and no a non-sense approach is the need of the hour.
Read more about Amazon best seller in kerala here: https://www.groxp.com/success-story-amazon-best-seller-in-kerala/
Saturday, March 1, 2014
Udacity : accessible, affordable, engaging, and effective higher education
Udacity is a for-profit educational organization founded by Sebastian Thrun, David Stavens, and Mike Sokolsky offering massive open online courses (MOOCs). According to Thrun, the origin of the name Udacity comes from the company's desire to be "audacious for you, the student".
Udacity is the outgrowth of free computer science classes offered in 2011 through Stanford University. As of 23 February 2014, Udacity has 9 full courses and 24 free courseware. Thrun has stated he hopes half a million students will enroll, after an enrollment of 160,000 students in the predecessor course at Stanford, Introduction to Artificial Intelligence, and 90,000 students had enrolled in the initial two classes as of March 2012. Udacity was announced at the 2012 Digital Life Design conference. Udacity is funded by venture capital firm, Charles River Ventures, and $300,000 of Thrun's personal money. In October 2012 the venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz led the investment of another $15 million in Udacity. In November 2013, Thrun announced in a Fast Company article that Udacity had a "lousy product" and that the service was pivoting to focus more on vocational courses for professionals.
Udacity is the outgrowth of free computer science classes offered in 2011 through Stanford University. As of 23 February 2014, Udacity has 9 full courses and 24 free courseware. Thrun has stated he hopes half a million students will enroll, after an enrollment of 160,000 students in the predecessor course at Stanford, Introduction to Artificial Intelligence, and 90,000 students had enrolled in the initial two classes as of March 2012. Udacity was announced at the 2012 Digital Life Design conference. Udacity is funded by venture capital firm, Charles River Ventures, and $300,000 of Thrun's personal money. In October 2012 the venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz led the investment of another $15 million in Udacity. In November 2013, Thrun announced in a Fast Company article that Udacity had a "lousy product" and that the service was pivoting to focus more on vocational courses for professionals.
Website: www.udacity.com
Coursera: empowers people to improve their lives...
Coursera is a for-profit educational technology company offering massive open online courses (MOOCs) founded by computer science professors Andrew Ng and Daphne Koller from Stanford University. Coursera works with universities to make some of their courses available online, and offers courses in physics, engineering, humanities, medicine, biology, social sciences, mathematics, business, computer science, and other areas. On December 17, 2013, Coursera introduced its official mobile app for iPhone.
Business model:
The contract between Coursera and participating universities contains a "brainstorming" list of ways to generate revenue, including certification fees, introducing students to potential employers and recruiters (with student consent), tutoring, sponsorships and tuition fees. In September 2013 it announced it had earned $1 million in revenue through verified certificates that authenticate successful course completion. As of December 2013 the company had raised $85 million in venture capital. John Doerr suggested that people will pay for "valuable, premium services". Any revenue stream will be divided, with schools receiving a small percentage of revenue and 20% of gross profits.
In January 2013, Coursera announced that the American Council on Education had approved five courses for college credit. As the journalist Steve Kolowich noted "whether colleges take the council's advice, however, is an open question." The courses that were recommended to degree-granting institutions for college credit are:
Business model:
The contract between Coursera and participating universities contains a "brainstorming" list of ways to generate revenue, including certification fees, introducing students to potential employers and recruiters (with student consent), tutoring, sponsorships and tuition fees. In September 2013 it announced it had earned $1 million in revenue through verified certificates that authenticate successful course completion. As of December 2013 the company had raised $85 million in venture capital. John Doerr suggested that people will pay for "valuable, premium services". Any revenue stream will be divided, with schools receiving a small percentage of revenue and 20% of gross profits.
In January 2013, Coursera announced that the American Council on Education had approved five courses for college credit. As the journalist Steve Kolowich noted "whether colleges take the council's advice, however, is an open question." The courses that were recommended to degree-granting institutions for college credit are:
- Algebra from the University of California, Irvine
- Pre-Calculus, from the University of California, Irvine
- Introduction to Genetics and Evolution from Duke University
- Bioelectricity: A Quantitative Approach from Duke University
- Calculus: Single Variable from the University of Pennsylvania
Coursera will offer proctored exams at the end of these courses through ProctorU, an online proctoring service that connects proctors and students via webcam. The service will cost $60–$90.
Coursera reduces the cost of courses it offers by using instant computer-based marking where appropriate, making students grade their peers' homework in some cases where computer-based marking cannot be used, such as for poetry composition exercises and employing statistical methods to validate the assessment.
Courses:
The website provides free online courses including Humanities, Medicine, Biology, Social Sciences, Mathematics, Business, Computer Science, and others. Each course includes short video lectures on different topics and assignments to be submitted, usually on a weekly basis. In most humanities and social science courses, and other assignments where an objective standard may not be possible, a peer review system is used.
Web forums are provided for courses, and some students also arrange face to face study meet-ups using meetup.com, or online meetups. However, the Coursera Honor Code prohibits copying answers, therefore the discussion should not exchange answers but should practice a healthy debate.
Website: www.coursera.org
Web forums are provided for courses, and some students also arrange face to face study meet-ups using meetup.com, or online meetups. However, the Coursera Honor Code prohibits copying answers, therefore the discussion should not exchange answers but should practice a healthy debate.
Website: www.coursera.org
Khan Academy : A free world-class education for anyone anywhere.
Khan Academy is a non-profit educational website created in 2006 by educator Salman Khan, a graduate of MIT and Harvard Business School. The stated mission is to provide 'a free world-class education for anyone anywhere'. The website features thousands of educational resources, including a personalized learning dashboard, over 100,000 exercise problems, and over 4000+ micro lectures via video tutorials stored on YouTube teaching mathematics, history, healthcare, medicine, finance, physics, general chemistry, biology, astronomy, economics, cosmology, organic chemistry, American civics, art history, macroeconomics, microeconomics, and computer science. All resources are available for free to anyone around the world. Khan Academy reaches about 10,000,000 students per month and has delivered over 300,000,000 lessons.
Website: www.khanacademy.org
Saturday, December 14, 2013
Indian capital elects only three women to its parliament
NEW DELHI (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – Only three women won seats in the Indian capital's 70-member assembly in recent elections, showing women continue to face huge obstacles to political empowerment in the world's largest democracy, activists said on Monday.
New Delhi went to the polls on December 4, but results announced by the Election Commission on Sunday showed that almost all the seats went to male candidates, despite a record number of female voters – over 3.4 million – casting ballots.
Women's rights activists blamed the poor showing on the three main political parties – the Congress party, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the newly formed Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) – who fielded few women candidates. Only nine percent of the 796 candidates in Delhi were women.
The three women elected were all from AAP.
"The political parties in India are all male-dominated and they don't want to give women the opportunity to empower themselves. If they really care about women, they should have better representation," said Ranjana Kumari, director for the Centre for Social Research (CSR).
Kumari said that many women who were selected as candidates were given "unwinnable" constituencies where they were pitted against powerful opposition candidates, adding this was often because the parties did not take female politicians seriously.
While there are a plethora of issues related to women that need to be addressed in India, gender experts say one of the most important is to ensure women have a political voice in state and national assemblies.
Gender equality in parliament, they say, would result in the empowerment of women in general. A stronger voice at the top would have a trickle-down effect, helping women at the grassroots level fight abuse, discrimination and inequality.
#33 PERCENT
Some of the most powerful figures in India's political history are women, such as former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and her daughter-in-law, Sonia Gandhi, who heads the ruling Congress-led coalition government and there are over one million female politicians represented in village councils.
Yet Indian women continue to face a barrage of threats – from female foeticide, child marriage, dowry and honour killings to discrimination in health and education and crimes such as rape, domestic violence and human trafficking.
Only 11 percent of seats in the Lok Sabha (lower house) and Rajya Sabha (upper house) of parliament are held by women, says the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU).
The IPU ranks India 108th in the world in terms of women’s representation in national legislatures, below less developed countries such as Pakistan which has 21 percent representation and Afghanistan with 28 percent.
Despite 17 years of protests, rallies, demonstrations and hunger strikes by the women's rights movement in India, activists say male lawmakers have blatantly blocked a bill aimed at giving women a more powerful voice.
The Women’s Reservation Bill, which would reserve one-third of seats at national and state assemblies for women, has been passed by the upper house, but blocked in the lower house.
The bill is likely to be tabled again in parliament in coming months and women's groups have launched a campaign called the "#33 Percent" to put public pressure on the government to approve the bill.
But they face stiff resistance from some prominent conservative patriarchal MPs as well as from certain minority groups who fear more seats for women will mean they will lose the quota of seats currently provided to them.
"On the one hand, these politicians promise all these things for women such as jobs and protecting our security, but we don't want that," said Kumari.
"We want to be able to get our own jobs and protect ourselves. We are telling them, please don't do anything for us, just give us the voice so we can empower ourselves."
New Delhi went to the polls on December 4, but results announced by the Election Commission on Sunday showed that almost all the seats went to male candidates, despite a record number of female voters – over 3.4 million – casting ballots.
Women's rights activists blamed the poor showing on the three main political parties – the Congress party, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the newly formed Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) – who fielded few women candidates. Only nine percent of the 796 candidates in Delhi were women.
The three women elected were all from AAP.
"The political parties in India are all male-dominated and they don't want to give women the opportunity to empower themselves. If they really care about women, they should have better representation," said Ranjana Kumari, director for the Centre for Social Research (CSR).
Kumari said that many women who were selected as candidates were given "unwinnable" constituencies where they were pitted against powerful opposition candidates, adding this was often because the parties did not take female politicians seriously.
While there are a plethora of issues related to women that need to be addressed in India, gender experts say one of the most important is to ensure women have a political voice in state and national assemblies.
Gender equality in parliament, they say, would result in the empowerment of women in general. A stronger voice at the top would have a trickle-down effect, helping women at the grassroots level fight abuse, discrimination and inequality.
#33 PERCENT
Some of the most powerful figures in India's political history are women, such as former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and her daughter-in-law, Sonia Gandhi, who heads the ruling Congress-led coalition government and there are over one million female politicians represented in village councils.
Yet Indian women continue to face a barrage of threats – from female foeticide, child marriage, dowry and honour killings to discrimination in health and education and crimes such as rape, domestic violence and human trafficking.
Only 11 percent of seats in the Lok Sabha (lower house) and Rajya Sabha (upper house) of parliament are held by women, says the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU).
The IPU ranks India 108th in the world in terms of women’s representation in national legislatures, below less developed countries such as Pakistan which has 21 percent representation and Afghanistan with 28 percent.
Despite 17 years of protests, rallies, demonstrations and hunger strikes by the women's rights movement in India, activists say male lawmakers have blatantly blocked a bill aimed at giving women a more powerful voice.
The Women’s Reservation Bill, which would reserve one-third of seats at national and state assemblies for women, has been passed by the upper house, but blocked in the lower house.
The bill is likely to be tabled again in parliament in coming months and women's groups have launched a campaign called the "#33 Percent" to put public pressure on the government to approve the bill.
But they face stiff resistance from some prominent conservative patriarchal MPs as well as from certain minority groups who fear more seats for women will mean they will lose the quota of seats currently provided to them.
"On the one hand, these politicians promise all these things for women such as jobs and protecting our security, but we don't want that," said Kumari.
"We want to be able to get our own jobs and protect ourselves. We are telling them, please don't do anything for us, just give us the voice so we can empower ourselves."
Read more at http://www.trust.org/item/20131209131738-bdgif
Need to educate Muslim women stressed
A Mohammed Aslam, Commissioner of Minorities Welfare Department of Tamil Nadu, has said that Muslims have failed to give importance to education at the basic level. He was speaking at a state-level orientation programme on government welfare schemes for the Muslim community that was jointly organised by the Federation of District Muslim Women Aid Societies, Federation of Tamilaga Masjids Ayikkia Jamaath and the South India Education Trust at the SIET College on Sunday.
Aslam said that there are a lot of schemes introduced by the government, especially for education for the economic empowerment of minorities, especially women, but they are not capitalised effectively.
He elaborated on the various education loans that minorities can avail. Stating that the level of education among Muslim women is very low compared to other communities, he stressed on the need to promote higher education for them. He said that most people fail to utilise welfare schemes introduced by the government for the upliftment of minorities. Padma Bhushan Moosa Raza, IAS, Former Chief Secretary of the Government of Jammu & Kashmir also presided over the programme.
Aslam said that there are a lot of schemes introduced by the government, especially for education for the economic empowerment of minorities, especially women, but they are not capitalised effectively.
He elaborated on the various education loans that minorities can avail. Stating that the level of education among Muslim women is very low compared to other communities, he stressed on the need to promote higher education for them. He said that most people fail to utilise welfare schemes introduced by the government for the upliftment of minorities. Padma Bhushan Moosa Raza, IAS, Former Chief Secretary of the Government of Jammu & Kashmir also presided over the programme.
Read more at http://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/chennai/Need-to-educate-Muslim-women-stressed/2013/12/10/article1937029.ece
UTV founder and entrepreneur Ronnie backs lingerie site Zivame
UTV founder and entrepreneur Ronnie Screwvala is leading a $6 million, or Rs 36 crore, investment into Zivame, a lingerie e-commerce startup which rides on the increasing women traffic in India's internet story.
Bangalore-based Zivame - founded by 33 year-old BITS Pilani alumnus Richa Kar two years ago - is betting on quadrupling online sales to Rs 1,000 crore in the next 3-5 years. Screwvala's investment company Unilazer Ventures is pumping in most of the cash, while existing investors too are participating in this round.
Zivame, which competes with other multi-brand e-tailers like Myntra and Jabong for online lingerie sales, has now raised $9 million after netting $3 million from IDG and Kalaari Capital in January this year.
"We are making a non-decrepit category like lingerie more accessible and a part of fashion accessories for women. Twenty percent our women customers have never shopped online before, and in a sense we are a change agent for many of them," Kar told TOI.
India has about 150 million internet users, with women comprising 39% of the traffic but growing faster than men in the domestic digital economy. This is significant as internet's share of Indian GDP estimated at 3.2% is the highest among the emerging countries. India's heavily fragmented lingerie market is estimated at $3 billion, dominated by unbranded players, dogged by a certain lack of shopping experience.
"We invest in broad-based consumption stories, which are scalable lending itself to building a brand. Indian shopping habits in this segment has not even touched the tip of the iceberg. Online shopping will be massive as it lends to private shopping," said Screwvala, who raked in Rs 2,000 crore selling UTV Software Communications to Walt Disney in 2011.
Globally, lingerie giant Victoria Secret garners over 27% of its $5.5 billion from online sales. The leading domestic lingerie brands like Peri Peri and Enamor are taking cue in a rapidly transitioning market. "We started selling online just twelve months ago, but 70% of our sales are already through multi-brand e-commerce channels. This amazed us. Good deals, convenience and privacy are among the key reasons driving the growth," said Akshay Mahendran, managing director of Daiki Brands, a Mumbai-based owner of Peri Peri and Biara.
Kar said the latest funding would be deployed to bolster technology backbone - to improve personalization, recommendations and visual merchandising - as well as marketing to get more tier II women buy online.
"We are preparing for the fast approaching inflection point. We want to give a beautiful experience, making it impulsive and indulgent," Kar added. "Lingerie is new chocolate," she quipped.
Read more at http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/Ronnie-backs-lingerie-site-Zivame/articleshow/27202796.cms
Create jobs, disposable income for rural women, urges expert
A study of a rural Indian village called Gove in Satara district of Maharashtra, spanning over 30 years (from 1975 to 2008), has revealed that funding for family planning, health and education programmes has made great strides. But the final step — creating jobs and disposable income for rural women — has not achieved any significant success.
Demographer and women's health specialist Dr Carol Vlassoff, in a new book, Gender Equality and Inequality in Rural India. Blessed with a Son, has published the results of the study and said that aid donors to India are going down the wrong path when it comes to bringing millions of rural women into the modern economy.
"So if India wants to compete in the global economy, a missing piece of the puzzle is getting young rural women to work in the modern labour sector," Vlassoff said in a release issued Tuesday.
Vlassoff showed, comparing survey information over thirty years, that employment, specifically of rural women, pays off in other ways as well.
She found that self-employed and professional rural women were more likely to use contraceptives and delay having their first child than unemployed women with the same amount of schooling. Ultimately, says Vlassoff, this can help slow population growth by increasing the age that women have their first child, and hence, the space between generations.
A key finding of Vlassoff's study is that the desire for sons in India has not changed over the years. Although families are now limiting their total number of children to one or two, having a son is still considered essential. Further, couples who only have girls continue having more children than they planned in order to produce a son. While some have argued that sons provide economic security for their parents, whereas daughters move away, Vlassoff did not find this to be the main reason for wanting sons in modern rural society. For example, widows living with sons were no better off financially than those living alone but they still were unhappy if their sons were not taking care of them. Vlassoff found that a preference for sons has emotional and cultural roots that go beyond economic, inheritance and kinship reasons.
Most rural families expressed great fondness for their daughters, saying that girls were more loving and caring than boys. But girls also meant that parents had to pay huge costs for their marriage. "Whereas having one girl was desirable, a bonus, having at least one son was a must," she writes.
Sex determination was a thinly disguised practice in the area, with one full room of a small local clinic dedicated to the "medical termination of pregnancy". The study found while dowry was legally abolished, it was replaced with other substantial gifts demanded by grooms from the bride's family. "So," said Vlassoff, "for poor families, having daughters could mean economic disaster".
Demographer and women's health specialist Dr Carol Vlassoff, in a new book, Gender Equality and Inequality in Rural India. Blessed with a Son, has published the results of the study and said that aid donors to India are going down the wrong path when it comes to bringing millions of rural women into the modern economy.
"So if India wants to compete in the global economy, a missing piece of the puzzle is getting young rural women to work in the modern labour sector," Vlassoff said in a release issued Tuesday.
Vlassoff showed, comparing survey information over thirty years, that employment, specifically of rural women, pays off in other ways as well.
She found that self-employed and professional rural women were more likely to use contraceptives and delay having their first child than unemployed women with the same amount of schooling. Ultimately, says Vlassoff, this can help slow population growth by increasing the age that women have their first child, and hence, the space between generations.
A key finding of Vlassoff's study is that the desire for sons in India has not changed over the years. Although families are now limiting their total number of children to one or two, having a son is still considered essential. Further, couples who only have girls continue having more children than they planned in order to produce a son. While some have argued that sons provide economic security for their parents, whereas daughters move away, Vlassoff did not find this to be the main reason for wanting sons in modern rural society. For example, widows living with sons were no better off financially than those living alone but they still were unhappy if their sons were not taking care of them. Vlassoff found that a preference for sons has emotional and cultural roots that go beyond economic, inheritance and kinship reasons.
Most rural families expressed great fondness for their daughters, saying that girls were more loving and caring than boys. But girls also meant that parents had to pay huge costs for their marriage. "Whereas having one girl was desirable, a bonus, having at least one son was a must," she writes.
Sex determination was a thinly disguised practice in the area, with one full room of a small local clinic dedicated to the "medical termination of pregnancy". The study found while dowry was legally abolished, it was replaced with other substantial gifts demanded by grooms from the bride's family. "So," said Vlassoff, "for poor families, having daughters could mean economic disaster".
Read more at http://www.indianexpress.com/news/create-jobs-disposable-income-for-rural-women-urges-expert/1206160/0
Eve Ensler, gender rights icon, calls for sex-education drive
A majority of men, she said, citing studies, learn about sex, for the first time, from pornography, which portrays women as objects.
“If you start on porn, then you basically violate the women or make the women feel terrible… resulting in a cycle called sexual misery,” she told students at Asian College of Journalism (ACJ).
Absence of sex education would mean continuing with the misery cycle that always escalates to violence, she said.
Ms. Ensler, whose works include ‘The Vagina Monologues,’ a play translated into 50 languages and performed in 140 countries, said violence against women is not a personal problem but connected to other systemic injustices, whether patriarchal, economic or gender, and media has a role in highlighting them.
New media journalists, she said, can help curb violence against women by creating a vision where women are equal, safe and free.
Ms. Ensler, herself a survivor of child sexual abuse, said, last year, India was avant garde in terms of the media coverage of the gang rape of a young woman in Delhi.
“That became a catalyst… even what happened in Tarun Tejpal’s (Tehelka editor-in-chief) case was a breakthrough. The story of violence against women is being told by the media,” she said.
Ms. Ensler said this year the V-Day movement to ‘Strike, dance, and rise for freedom, safety and equality’ is being escalated and deepened. While violence against women is epidemic and manifests itself differently from culture to culture in the form of female genital mutilation, gang rape, ‘I think it is the mother issue of our times.’
Her speech was preceded by a Thappattam performance and a poetry session. Theatre personality N.S. Yamuna, writer Parvathi Nayar and dancer Sangeeta Isvaran participated in a panel discussion.
Read more at http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/gender-rights-icon-calls-for-sexeducation-drive/article5444945.ece
Poonam Khubani Among Top 25 Women Entrepreneurs of NJ
Poonam Khubani, vice president of TeleBrands International and president of International Edge, was recently recognized as one of the Top 25 Leading Women Entrepreneurs of New Jersey according to the Leading Women Entrepreneurs Initiative.
LWENJ annually chooses a group of businesswomen in New Jersey who exhibit outstanding performance and achievement in business and economic innovation, community involvement, and advocacy for women.
According to LWENJ data, this year's Top 25 together generate an estimated revenue in excess of $5 billion, employ tens of thousands, and support hundreds of non-profits and women's advocacy groups.
Khubani leads the top consumer product companies that specialize in direct response television marketing and the creators of the familiar "As Seen on TV" logo. Both TeleBrands and International Edge create and sell products in over 130 countries globally.
Khubani's leadership and entrepreneurial know-how have resulted in tremendous international growth for the company, securing major retail store shelf space on every continent.
This year, TeleBrands is celebrating its 30th year in business. The company releases at least one dozen products annually and tests hundreds with the goal of providing consumers with items that solve common problems and reach mass audiences featuring a "WOW" demonstration.
Khubani is a frequent panelist at TeleBrands Inventors Days, which allow at-home inventors the opportunity to pitch their gadgets to the company with the hopes of having it brought to market as a TeleBrands "As Seen on TV" product.
The Indian American entrepreneur also works tirelessly with Children's Hope India, a foundation that helps disadvantage children in India.
Read more at http://www.indiawest.com/news/15611-poonam-khubani-among-top-25-women-entrepreneurs-of-nj.html#MuPjxBSbsK01isds.99
Friday, December 13, 2013
Incense industry empowering rural Indian women
The fortune that lies at the bottom of the pyramid is what makes India attractive economically. But what is forgotten is that to unearth that fortune, the market needs to be nurtured and grown. The 640,000 or more villages in India are predominantly dependent on agriculture. They are vulnerable to monsoon's vagaries and thus look for alternative sources of income.
The incense industry is a labour-intensive industry with each incense stick being handcrafted, predominantly by women workers.
The industry has long been benefiting from this resource. These women spend few hours a day rolling incense sticks after attending to the daily needs of their homes. In the past few years, there has been a rise in training for activities like agarbathi rolling that has promoted economic independence, and employment for a large number of people, especially women seeking extra income.
The Rs 2000-crore agarbathi industry is dependent predominantly on rural India. Many industries can use this untapped resource and connect with the rural families providing both livelihood and rural empowerment.
The incense industry has always had low entry and exit barriers due to easily available raw materials, a relatively simple process of manufacturing and high dependence on labour. Earlier, entrepreneurs would venture into the category with a short-term business interest.
Post the 1990s, as the Indian economy started opening up, globalisation and rapid development of technology and communication created several jobs in the country.
Increase in the per capita income of customers also enhanced the demand for better incense. This saw the industry consolidate from several small players to a few large companies. Several NGOs and government institutions have approached the incense manufacturers to provide training in incense stick making and thus employment in economically deprived areas.
Cycle Pure Agarbathies play a leading role in empowering rural women by training them in bamboo splitting and hand rolling and we have various training and distribution-collection centres across states like Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Bihar and several areas in the North East.
http://businesstoday.intoday.in/story/incense-industry-empowering-rural-indian-women/1/201444.html
The incense industry is a labour-intensive industry with each incense stick being handcrafted, predominantly by women workers.
The industry has long been benefiting from this resource. These women spend few hours a day rolling incense sticks after attending to the daily needs of their homes. In the past few years, there has been a rise in training for activities like agarbathi rolling that has promoted economic independence, and employment for a large number of people, especially women seeking extra income.
The Rs 2000-crore agarbathi industry is dependent predominantly on rural India. Many industries can use this untapped resource and connect with the rural families providing both livelihood and rural empowerment.
The incense industry has always had low entry and exit barriers due to easily available raw materials, a relatively simple process of manufacturing and high dependence on labour. Earlier, entrepreneurs would venture into the category with a short-term business interest.
Post the 1990s, as the Indian economy started opening up, globalisation and rapid development of technology and communication created several jobs in the country.
Increase in the per capita income of customers also enhanced the demand for better incense. This saw the industry consolidate from several small players to a few large companies. Several NGOs and government institutions have approached the incense manufacturers to provide training in incense stick making and thus employment in economically deprived areas.
Cycle Pure Agarbathies play a leading role in empowering rural women by training them in bamboo splitting and hand rolling and we have various training and distribution-collection centres across states like Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Bihar and several areas in the North East.
http://businesstoday.intoday.in/story/incense-industry-empowering-rural-indian-women/1/201444.html
Monday, December 9, 2013
Women education in India
While illiteracy levels in India continue to stand at about 54% for women and 76% for men, school enrollment, attendance and quality of education, especially for the girl-child threatens to deteriorate even further if appropriate measures are not put in place and mostly this is due to the lack of women education in India. Illiteracy is one of the main obstacles in women empowerment in India. Let’s sample 3 case studies below:
CASE STUDY 1: Amla (not her real name) didn’t tell her parents when the older boys started to harass her on the one-hour-long walk to school from their apartment in Madanpur Khadar, south of Delhi. They occasionally grabbed her hands and demanded that the little girl kiss them. She knew that the blame would be placed on her, as if she was some-what encouraging them to do so. But she was pretty right when her family found out. They literally ”banned” her from ever going back to school again, worried about the effects on their ”honor” in the event that she was sexually assaulted. Guess what, now the plan is to marry her off once she reaches 16 years of age.
CASE STUDY 2: Amita is luckier, her mother is determined to take her to school so that one day she would become a doctor. However, in her class, there are 70 pupils and the teacher (one teacher) never shows up for most parts of the lessons. The facilities at the school are poor, the drinking water is so filthy that pupils have to bring along their own water to school. And what’s more, Amita confesses that the toilets are very dirty that she has never used them since she got enrolled in that school. Though she doesn’t understand, her mother saves at least 900 rupees so that she can get coached in 3 subjects where she is not doing well.
CASE STUDY 3: Sumen, a woman who is 35 years old is battling with her daughter’s future. The little girl who is only 9 years has learning disabilities and her mother has tried every year to enroll him in schools but with very little success. Luckily, the authorities have agreed that the little girls should get some education, but it’s only once in 7 days. Sumen, who is a house wife wonders if she should try to teach her daughter herself. The question is this; how will she teach her when she never went to school herself? It’s sad how she was quoted speaking—”But if I haven’t studied myself, how much value will I add to her life?”
Read more at http://www.speakingtree.in/spiritual-blogs/seekers/self-improvement/women-education-india
Saturday, December 7, 2013
India contributes $1 mn to UN Women
This contribution constitutes the fourth installment of India's multi-year pledge to provide five million dollars as core predictable funding to UN Women's resources, and takes India's existing contribution to $ 4 million to UN Women, so far.
India's Permanent Representative to the UN Asoke K Mukerji handed over a cheque for the amount Friday to Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, Under Secretary General and Executive Director of UN Women.
Mukerji also reaffirmed India's steadfast commitment to the goals of gender equality, the empowerment of women and gender mainstreaming, as enshrined in the mandate of UN Women.
He also encouraged UN Women to focus on increasing the use of ICT and new technologies for empowerment of women.
India was one of the founding members of the Executive Board of the UN Women.
Source: http://www.business-standard.com/article/news-ians/india-contributes-1-mn-to-un-women-113120700142_1.html
by: hwgo
Friday, December 6, 2013
In Indore, they bank on women entrepreneurs
Bharatiya Mahila Bank opens state's first branch in the city. City women felt a sense of empowerment on Thursday when Bharatiya Mahila Bank opened its branch in Indore, a first in the state and ninth in the country.
The bank will offer special schemes to women entrepreneurs and weaker sections of the society. For girl students, it will provide educational loans for courses like pilot and airhostess training.
“The bank will work for women and other deprived sections of the society and will stress on offering financial products to enable them become self reliant,” said Snehlata Srivastava, additional secretary Union ministry of finance, while inaugurating the branch here. “Even men can open account and avail facilities available s at the branch,” she added.
On the occasion, Srivastava also handed out loan cheques to five self-help groups and also felicitated first five account holders.
Bank DGM Ashok Gandhi said that they would offer 4.5% interest to account holders on deposits up to Rs one lakh and 5% on deposits above Rs one lakh, which is more than the interest offered by other banks.
Women customers who stepped into the branch after the inauguration were seen brimming with newly-found sense of empowerment. “No one can imagine what women are capable of. This bank will offer us a chance to prove that we are not inferior to men in any way,” said Preeti Nandi, a school teacher who opened an account here.
A student, Tanya Malik, was all praise for loan service of the bank. “I had applied for an educational loan with a public sector bank but it did not even respond to my application. Here, at BMB, the branch manager himself helped me get the loan in no time,” said she.
On Thursday, the bank also opened its eighth branch in New Delhi.
http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-in-indore-they-bank-on-women-entrepreneurs-1930617
The bank will offer special schemes to women entrepreneurs and weaker sections of the society. For girl students, it will provide educational loans for courses like pilot and airhostess training.
“The bank will work for women and other deprived sections of the society and will stress on offering financial products to enable them become self reliant,” said Snehlata Srivastava, additional secretary Union ministry of finance, while inaugurating the branch here. “Even men can open account and avail facilities available s at the branch,” she added.
On the occasion, Srivastava also handed out loan cheques to five self-help groups and also felicitated first five account holders.
Bank DGM Ashok Gandhi said that they would offer 4.5% interest to account holders on deposits up to Rs one lakh and 5% on deposits above Rs one lakh, which is more than the interest offered by other banks.
Women customers who stepped into the branch after the inauguration were seen brimming with newly-found sense of empowerment. “No one can imagine what women are capable of. This bank will offer us a chance to prove that we are not inferior to men in any way,” said Preeti Nandi, a school teacher who opened an account here.
A student, Tanya Malik, was all praise for loan service of the bank. “I had applied for an educational loan with a public sector bank but it did not even respond to my application. Here, at BMB, the branch manager himself helped me get the loan in no time,” said she.
On Thursday, the bank also opened its eighth branch in New Delhi.
http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-in-indore-they-bank-on-women-entrepreneurs-1930617
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