About Us
What is the Problem?
Some of the most damaging injustices in today’s world are the traditional patriarchal structures that reinforce gender stereotypes. These rigid social conventions exist, not only in the workplace, but also in the domestic home.
A prevailing narrative in India is that marriage is still perceived as a “contract”, one in which the man remains as the sole provider and subsequently relegates the wife as the homemaker (Misra 2021). It is because of these restrictive cultural norms, the gender wage gap, further investment into women’s education, and a lack of accommodating workplaces / working rights, which have contributed to women’s lack of participation in the labour force (Verick 2014).
This has only been exacerbated by COVID-19 where women have been significantly disadvantaged in comparison to their male counterparts, many often being the first to lose their jobs (The Economist 2021).
India has the lowest female labour force participation rate in the world (FLFP)! India's FLFP was 30.3 percent in 1990, according to the World Bank, and has declined to 20.5 percent by 2019 (The World Bank 2021).
These numbers are extremely concerning, both in terms of women's independence, autonomy, and financial viability.
It is for these reasons, we are working with the United Nations, Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), particularly SDG #5, Gender Equality, as it is so important to give women the opportunity, to earn an income if they wish, and also getting them better acquainted with the economy and technology!
We cannot solve all the problems women in India face, but we are determined to make an impact! Our organisation has broken down our issue for you:
Problem Statement
Who?
Women in their forties and fifties who are financially reliant on their spouses and live in semi-urban areas.
What?
Having the ability to use their hand skills for work but unable to put them to use in order to make an income and become financially self-sufficient.
Why?
A lack of direct connection to customers and awareness of market norms, and restrictive social norms.
When considering this problem, we have outlined and focused on
two targets of SDG #5:
Target 5.a
Equal rights to economic resources and access to ownership.
From our users, we found that this is often hindered due to traditionalist views of marriage that impose predisposed gender roles in domestic households. In such households, the husband holds a large monopoly of these economic resources, while the women are expected to maintain the house. As such, not only are they not able to go outside often, but any economic resources they do earn, goes into maintaining the prosperity of the house and their families, not on themselves. This is disempowering for women as it robs the fulfilment of earning through one’s skills and owning properties, as well as limiting their financial freedom.
Target 5.b
Enabling access to technology, in particular, information and communications technology.
From our users, we found that one of the biggest factors that they do not have good access to technology, is because they are not self-reliant. This is because the technology they do have, is given to them by their husbands or sons, and they receive these later in life. As such, although our target group does have access to technology, they have limited knowledge in how to utilise it effectively for themselves. This is disempowering for women as it limits their accesses to information and communication, which often leaves one feeling less heard and connected.
What is the situation?
In comparison to the rest of the globe and India's neighbours, Indian urban women's workforce rates are extremely low. In South Asian cities, only about ten percent of women work for a living. Women's participation in the workforce becomes very important since it increases per capita income in dual-income homes, resulting in the creation of new employment and much-needed opportunities for women!
In addition to this, a study conducted by Erica Field from Duke University and her colleagues performed a large-scale experiment, where women were given basic account training and direct work wages, which led women to work outside of their homes more (2019). This access to economic resources, then gave these women the bargaining power needed, to combat social norms and start asserting themselves in their households. As such, they found that they did not need to try and change social norms directly, as giving women more financial control achieved this in itself (Field et al. 2019).
This was similarly reflected from our users! What we found was that women were motivated to start earning, but they did not have the resources or the means and found themselves overwhelmed taking that first step which led to uncertainty in their person.
Solution
So, what do we do?
Well, we offer a comprehensive support network for women with the purpose of changing traditional hand talents, which they would have already developed from performing domestic labour at home, into industrial skills and aiding them and their goods in becoming market-ready. We act as a facilitator and a resource centre for our clients.
Our program will provide them with a secure environment in which they may not only learn about business but also uncover their own potential in the company of their fellow Super Naaris. Thus, they get the chance to socialise and build their confidence, while also gaining that financial bargaining power.
We had initially started with different variations of job apps and online registration forms but we realised this would not necessarily help women build their self-confidence and that these women often do not have the resources to fund a business themselves since they spend their money on maintaining the home. We thought it might be better to become a marketing platform for women artisans, but we understand that this field is already very competitive and still does not help women take that first step. That's when our mentors helped us come up with: the Super Naari Acceleration Progam!
Where?
We believe that the best place to start is the semi-urban cities where women tend to live in clusters and are more tightly linked to those in their local areas! That way, when we onboard and scout for people, it also encourages other women and their friends to join in!
How?
Our program not only enables women empowerment by helping our Super Naaris dream bigger, but it also helps give them emotional support, financial security and adept knowledge in technology. This gives them more opportunities, getting them better acquainted with the current market, and becoming financially self-sufficient which in turn, gives them the confidence and skills they need, to become super! When you know you are super, you know you can take on anything, even gender norms!
There's a lot to consider...
Feasibility
Super Naari is a one-stop solution for women wishing to enter the workforce. We have created a blend of offline instruction and online learning in our curriculum, making it very convenient for every women to complete our programme without disturbing their current home schedules as we understand that there are demands from home! They will have a safe haven with us to not only learn about business, but also to discover their potential among the other Super Naaris.
Viability
The payments that we get from the nominal fee we will charge for our courses as well as our partnerships, particularly with other social enterprises in the artisan community who we can provide training for, will help keep our organisation afloat. We are optimistic that our efforts will be sustainable and successful, given the booming demand for the handicraft market and the Indian government's strong support to which they can provide grants.
Desirability
From our users and surveys, we know that these women are motivated, they just need to take that first step! So, while participating in the program as members of the community at the Super Naari training centre, they get to study, socialise, and gain confidence together! Not only is upskilling useful for anyone, but it is also a chance to create and communicate with other women. It offers a chance for women to learn, which we also know from our users, these women have a hunger for! And if they become members of our alumni network, it allows them to contribute back to the community. This cycle, not only gives women confidence, but the financial power they need to take that first step and gain some power in their lives!
Business Model Outline
Our channels of acquiring customer base would be Physical Workshops, Online platforms and media advertisements. Our cost structures include hiring a Super Naari internal team (full-time), technology infrastructure set-up and maintenance, accelerator program resources and handicraft materials along with handouts for learning about commerce and business. On the other hand, our revenue model will be a CSR grant one to start with, and then also include profit margins at a later stage.
