Mann Deshi Foundation

Mann Deshi Foundation is dedicated to empowering rural and vulnerable women in India. Through its multifaceted programs, the foundation focuses on enhancing women’s economic agency by creating access to finance, building business skills, and facilitating market opportunities. Closely working with the Mann Deshi Mahila Sahakari Bank—the first bank exclusively for rural women in India—the Foundation and the Bank together provide financial inclusion and tailored support to women micro-entrepreneurs.

Major Interventions:

Its vision is to enable women to make independent choices and be celebrated as equal and valuable members of their communities.

• Women's Business School: Offering courses for aspiring and existing women entrepreneurs, these mobile business schools bring financial and business education to remote rural areas, empowering women’s economic growth.
• Financial & Digital Literacy: Providing essential financial literacy through workshops, this initiative teaches banking basics, savings, loans, and business management practices, helping women gain control over their financial futures.
• Para-Vet Training: Training women in goat farming, animal healthcare, and first aid, empowering them to manage a crucial livelihood asset in rural farming communities.
• Women & Young Girls: Supporting vulnerable girls and young women with life skills, health workshops, financial literacy, and livelihood training to improve their prospects and self-sufficiency.
• Entrepreneurship Development: Training in agriculture, computer literacy, vocational skills, and business management to help women launch and grow their businesses.
• Deshi MBA: A year-long intensive program, that strengthens their financial, marketing, and management skills through workshops, business visits, and mentorship.
• Yashwantrao Chavan Maharashtra Open University: Distance education initiative offering Bachelor’s degrees in Arts and Commerce to rural women, enabling them to pursue higher education and improve their career opportunities.

Healthcare initiatives focus on improving access to essential medical services in rural communities. Women are trained to provide doorstep healthcare, offering primary screenings for hypertension, blood sugar, and BMI. It also operates 24/7 cardiac ambulances, offering free emergency transport services. Diagnostic Centre provides radiology, pathology, physiotherapy, and OPD services at government rates. Additionally, regular Health Camps have been set up to offer health screenings for chronic conditions and vision tests for children.

Community Empowerment initiatives focus on providing market linkages and fair pricing for farmers, to help them adapt to challenges like unseasonal rainfall and drought. This led to the creation of the Agriculture and Soil Testing Centre, offering interventions across the entire agricultural value chain—from pre-sowing to post-harvest stages. Training in organic farming techniques is conducted, including Miyawaki Forest creation and organic fertilizer production. Improving water conservation and facilitating farm-to-market distribution further strengthen farmers’ livelihoods.