Women entrepreneurs of Haryana (Jind/Rohtak districts) have been making bangles and other similar products to earn livelihood. However, the COVID-19 pandemic and associated lockdown has brought their micro-enterprises to no-business point. SAB in association with UNDP has provided trainings to these women in business skills, market skills, financial skills and COVID sensitization to build resilience and re-initiate their businesses to new markets through virtual marketplace onboarding and other physical market linkages.

Skills Art and Beyond is an entrepreneurial social venture working in skill development, capacity building, livelihood promotion and conservation programmes. SAB has been implementing skill-based employability enhancement programs, programs to enhance backward and forward linkages for micro-entrepreneurs, digital and financial literacy programs for community and community-focused conservation-oriented interventions. SAB is working closely with government bodies including central government (MSDE, NSDC, MoYAS), state government departments and international agencies such as UNDP, UNV, SCCI. SAB has its head office in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh with a network of offices and training centres across 10+ states in India.

“SAB has been working extensively on inclusion issues across its interventions. Since inception, the focus has largely been on marginalised communities, difficult territories and segments which remain out of scope for majority of the departmental schemes. Our idea of development is to build capacities of the target communities, youth & women, build resilience amongst the micro-entrepreneurs, develop and strengthen backward and forward linkages while conserving the natural resources. Our focus on development has always been holistic targeting communities, natural resources and strong intentions to build a peaceful place for all lives,” says Karan Girdhar, Chief Executive Officer, Skills Art and Beyond (SAB).

Micro-entrepreneurs and street vendors are most impacted due to the COVID-19 associated lockdown. These micro-entrepreneurs in Punjab have been given training and handholding support in restarting their enterprises with all necessary precautions and guidelines. The program implemented by SAB and UNDP has impacted training and market linkage support to more than 2,000 micro-entrepreneurs in selected districts of Punjab.

Baiga and Gond tribes are the most primitive tribes of Madhya Pradesh. The tribes have been traditionally cultivating highly nutritious, naturally organic and gluten-free minor millets – Kodo and Kutki. SAB along with Government of MP and UNDP has studied value chain of the millets, developed products, branding and marketing strategy to enhance the livelihoods of the beneficiaries and promotion of local products. Brand ‘Andai’ has been developed by SAB which has been inaugurated by Hon’ble CM of Madhya Pradesh on 8th March 2021 on the occasion of International Women’s Day.

Skill-based training being imparted to youth under Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana by Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Government of India.

Skill-based employability enhancement training programs being implemented for youth and women across multiple sectors. These training programs are directly linked with placements in relevant industries along with post-placement tracking and handholding support to ensure maximum retention of youth in jobs. SAB has impacted more than 50,000 beneficiaries through its training programs across 14+ states in India.

Ensuring sustainable livelihoods of the tribal population in Dindori, M.P through strengthening backward and forward market linkages for minor millets.

The elderly across the country have been highly impacted due to COVID related restrictions because of lack of digital literacy. The daily supplies of medicines, groceries, social connect, social protection schemes and communication channel with friends and family has been impacted the most. SAB in association with the Government of Odisha and UNDP has provided digital literacy trainings to 20,000 elderly (60+ years) in 3 cities of Odisha to enhance the understanding and usage of daily convenience applications such as government scheme-based apps (pensions, disability welfare), food and medicine ordering apps (Zomato, Pharmeasy, Swiggy), social media connects (Fb, WhatsApp) and other apps such as Ola, YOLO, Gpay, Phonepe etc.

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