Pragati Path Foundation

Pragati Path Foundation is a feminist-led non-profit committed to the socio-economic development of women, based in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh. It was registered in 2011-12 and works at the intersection of women’s livelihoods, health, agriculture and social protection, with a particular focus on women artisans, farmers and survivors of domestic violence in and around Varanasi.

Headquarters: Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh

Areas of Work

• Women’s Livelihoods and Handicrafts: supports women artisans, including wood artisans in Varanasi, through skills training and micro enterprise development.
• Health and Nutrition: runs health and nutrition support programmes, including work on HIV/AIDS prevention linked to migration and mobility.
• Agriculture and Rural Livelihoods: supports women farmers through agriculture extension programmes.
• Social Protection and Gender Based Violence: helps women and families access social protection schemes, and runs awareness workshops on domestic violence.

Initiatives & Programmes

• Strengthening Handicraft and Dignity of Entrepreneur Women Artisans: supports the identity and socio-economic development of women wood artisans in Varanasi.
• Self Help Group Promotion and Bank Linkage Programme: forms and supports women’s self help groups and links them to formal banking.
• Micro Entrepreneurship Development Programme: supports women led micro enterprises, including through a Common Facility Centre.
• Menstruation Education for Rural Women and Adolescents (MERA): menstrual health education for rural women and adolescent girls.
• Sub Mission on Agriculture Extension: supports women farmers with agricultural training and extension services.
• Workshops on Domestic Violence: awareness and support programmes addressing domestic violence.

Impact

Pragati Path Foundation does not publish aggregate beneficiary numbers on its website, but highlights individual outcomes from its work. These include support for a 60 year old widow in Baragaon, Varanasi, through its social protection programme, and recognition for Anju, a farmer it has supported, who won an award as the best woman farmer in Uttar Pradesh.