Building a Better Tomorrow with
Vibhavari: Empowering Communities, Sustaining Lives
Livelihood
Vibhavari has been working on sustainable livelihood models that can be easily adopted by local communities, based on their existing skills and locally available resources. The formation and training of Self-Help Groups (SHGs) is an ongoing activity aimed at ensuring access to various government schemes for extremely poor, landless, and widowed women. These include benefits from social security schemes such as Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana, Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana and the Atal Pension Yojana.
In addition to these efforts, Vibhavari coordinates with various government departments to help women access benefits from different schemes. These include the ‘Poshan Vatika’ initiative from the Department of Horticulture, Poultry Farming Assistance under the ATMA Project (Agricultural Technology Management Agency) and financial support for livelihood initiatives from the State Employment Mission.
Women associated with these Self-Help Groups are also provided training on financial literacy, general education, and health-related issues.
Our Projects
National Urban Livelihood Mission Nulm Program Dewas
Vibhavari is implementing the Urban Livelihood Program in Dewas city under the National Urban Livelihood Mission (NULM). More than 800 Self-Help Groups (SHGs) have been formed, all of which have been successfully linked with banks. Out of these, 360 SHGs have been further connected with ICICI and other banks to facilitate credit access and promote financial inclusion.
SHPI ICICI
Vibhavari, in collaboration with ICICI Bank, is also working to provide financial assistance to Self-Help Groups (SHGs) in the form of credit linkage. Through this initiative, SHGs are able to access funds as low-interest loans, enabling them to start or expand livelihood activities and enhance their income during times of need.
Sustainable Livelihood ITC-MSK Sehore
More than 75 Self-Help Groups (SHGs) have been formed across 18 villages in Sehore district, Madhya Pradesh, involving and organizing over 800 women. These groups collectively deposit ₹40,000 every month as savings.
Notably, the loan repayment rate among these SHGs is 100%. Women from rural areas are gradually becoming independent entrepreneurs, particularly through successful implementation of goat-rearing activities. Around 40 SHGs have been linked with The Goat Trust, Lucknow (U.P.), for technical support in this enterprise. A revolving fund of approximately ₹ 90 lakhs has been provided to 15 SHGs by MSK to promote goat farming. Each SHG member is earning an annual income ranging from ₹10,000 to ₹12,000 from this activity.
Additionally, these women receive training in basic financial literacy, broadly categorized under the following seven themes:
- Earnings and Spending
- Savings
- Loans
- Insurance
- Pension
- SHG Federation
- Digital Transactions
All women associated with these SHGs have also been connected with various government schemes to access their benefits, such as:
- Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana
- Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana
- Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana
- Atal Pension Yojana
- Parivar Poshan Vatika
- Aatma Pariyojna
- Self Employment Mission
Goat Rearing Success Model - Pashu Sakhi
It is an innovative model to decrease mortality in goats by availing primary treatment services at village level and make goat rearing a sustainable livelihood activity. In this modal, one woman from the village is developed as a vet-para worker for facilitation of goat rearing, and as an alternative source of livelihood for her. These trained Pashu Sakhis are working successfully covering 50 villages of Sehore district in MP. It is a self-sustainable employment generation model. Pashu Sakhis are providing their skills to the goat rearers and earning ₹2500 to ₹3200/-per month.
Livelihood and Enterprise Development Program (LEDP) for creating sustainable livelihoods amongst SHG members – NABARD
Goat-Based Livelihood Development Program
Vibhavari has been working for several years across various districts of Madhya Pradesh on issues such as water and soil conservation, agricultural development, and school sanitation. The outcomes of the interventions under the Sustainable Livelihood Development Program have been encouraging. Building upon the learnings from this program, a proposal was submitted to NABARD for a goat-rearing-based livelihood and entrepreneurship development initiative. NABARD approved the proposal and agreed to provide financial support for its implementation.
Under this project, Vibhavari, with the support of NABARD, implemented a goat-rearing-based livelihood and enterprise development program aimed at providing sustainable livelihood opportunities to rural families—particularly poor women organized into Self-Help Groups (SHGs)—and enabling them to become economically self-reliant through goat farming. The project was implemented in collaboration with NABARD in four villages of Ichhawar block, Sehore district, and was operational from March 2019 to February 2020.
Farmer Producer Organization (FPO )based on Goat rearing & seeds, NABARD
Vibhavari is working as a partner NGO with NABARD (National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development) to strengthen goat-based livelihoods through the formation and support of a Goat Farmer Producer Company under the Mainstreaming Project in Satwas, Madhya Pradesh.
This initiative focuses on creating sustainable income-generating opportunities for rural communities by organizing goat rearers into a formal collective structure. The Goat Farmer Company acts as a platform for improving access to quality veterinary services, breeding support, fodder management, market linkages, and financial services. By building capacities, reducing input costs, and ensuring better market prices, the project aims to enhance the profitability and sustainability of goat farming as a livelihood.
Vibhavari’s role includes community mobilization, capacity building, technical training, and facilitation of institutional linkages to empower goat farmers and improve their socio- economic condition through a self-reliant model.
Livelihood and Enterprise Development Programme (LEDP) – Weavers’ Livelihood Project, NABARD
Under the Livelihood and Enterprise Development Programme (LEDP) supported by NABARD, Vibhavari implemented a weavers’ livelihood enhancement project in Sehore district, Madhya Pradesh, during the financial year 2022–23. The aim of this initiative was to promote sustainable livelihood opportunities among traditional handloom weavers by strengthening their technical skills, improving access to raw materials and markets, and enabling enterprise development.
Through the project:
- Skill up gradation training was provided to selected weavers to improve the quality,
design, and productivity of their products. - Financial literacy sessions and entrepreneurship development training were conducted to build capacity in managing small weaving enterprises.
- Efforts were made to form weavers’ collectives and link them with SHGs and credit institutions for better financial access.
- Exposure visits and market linkages were facilitated to help the weavers
understand demand trends and improve market reach. This LEDP project not only empowered traditional artisans but also aimed at reviving and sustaining the local weaving culture as a viable income-generating activity.
Adventure, Skills and Training (Rural Tourism Program)
Vibhavari, in collaboration with MPT Bhopal, is working in two selected villages under the Homestay Program to promote tourism and generate employment opportunities through tourism-related activities. The aim of this project is to increase the income of rural communities by developing and sustaining tourism-based livelihoods. The objective is not only to develop tourism in the selected villages but also to expand such activities to neighboring villages. The project envisions the phased development of homestays in each village and bringing them into sustainable and continuous operation.
As part of the initiative, local weavers are being identified to enhance their employment opportunities through tourism-linked activities. In addition, all locally popular and culturally significant sites in and around the villages are being identified and mapped to attract more tourists and strengthen the rural tourism ecosystem.
