PROTSAHAN [a Hindi word = encouragement] a youth led and youth run social impact organization, commenced in 2010. We encourage design, art and creativity in India's slums through CREATIVE EDUCATION & generate SUSTAINABLE LIVELIHOODS by skills training at the level of darkest of urban slums and red light districts in New Delhi for at risk young girls facing exploitation/sex abuse. We use Art & ICT tools [Information, Communication and Technology] as the fore bringer of social change.

Our approach has been to create a D-school [Design school] right at the heart of urban slum clusters harboring the most exploited ultra poor young women at the bottom of pyramid. It is THIS section of women that needs maximum encouragement & empowerment.

Started by a young 23 year old girl from New Delhi, the movement saw the youngsters across the country and major parts of the world coming together to support her.

Problem

The Need: For mothers to send their children to school and sustain the family themselves by getting out of the vicious circle of extreme poverty that leads to abuse, trafficking and more exploitation. With this project we wish to empower about 100 beneficiaries from the darkest of slums and ghettos in New Delhi.

Solution

The young change makers at PROTSAHAN wish to create sustainable & creative livelihoods with a focus on design & art based approaches and empathy at the level of urban slum clusters for its most exploited urban poor women. Training & skill development will be imparted by professional trainers and youtube videos at the DESIGN school right inside the middle of the same slums exactly at the same point where the modesty of a woman is ridiculed day after day. These design and art based approaches will create sustainable livelihoods and empower women with a 400% increase in salary components as we can envision.

Example

1. Awareness generation & Capacity Building: Functional Literacy and Vocational Skills Based Training 2. Creating Livelihood opportunities: Financial, Marketing & Entrepreneurial Skills for Women 3. Market own products and emerge as successful entrepreneurs . Alternatively, work with Protsahan’s Women Empowerment Cell. From the money raised through selling products, Protsahan educates their daughters. 4. Protsahan’s women assigned leaders in the Self Help Groups and uplift own community from its roots.

Marketplace

Retail players are our biggest competitors as they are able to offer low costs because they have economies of scale and large varieties as they are majorly machine operated. However, we intend to create a unique 'brand' of handcrafted products made at slums, with specific unique products.