Vision Foundation

 Vision Foundation, India, supports rural women, youth, children, elders, and disabled individuals in the rural areas of Madurai District, Tamilnadu. With the Giving Joy grant, the Foundation provided vocational training on vermicomposting to women previously engaged in manual scavenging. These women are oppressed, exploited and live in helplessness and submissiveness. In these circumstances, the grant provided an alternative employment opportunity through production and sale of vermicompost with income necessary for a dignified and healthy.

The first grant activity was forming two Self-Help Groups (SHGs) with 40 underprivileged Dalit women, many of whom had been engaged in manual scavenging. They then kickstarted a 15-day vocational training program for 20 women, equipping them with skills in vermicomposting production, packaging, and marketing. But the training went beyond business—it also fostered awareness about hygiene, gender equality, and women’s empowerment. Once trained, these women became mentors themselves, passing on their knowledge to another 20 women, ensuring that all 40 participants gained the skills to build a better future.

With the training complete, Vision Foundation used the remaining $300 of the grant to create a revolving seed fund, giving the women access to small loans. This allowed them to purchase earthworms, seeds, and essential tools to set up their own vermicomposting units. They also received technical support from the Agricultural Engineering Department of the Government of Tamil Nadu, giving them the confidence to take their businesses to the next level.

The impact was immediate. 20 women launched their vermicomposting businesses, selling nutrient-rich compost to local farmers eager for natural alternatives. Fertilizer dealers and retail merchants also saw the value, purchasing directly from the women and paying them on the spot.

With their hard work paying off, the women are now earning an income and repaying their loans in manageable installments. By March 2025, the first round of repayments will be complete, allowing the SHGs to reinvest the funds in a new group of 20 women. This cycle of empowerment will continue, ensuring more women gain the opportunity to transform their lives.

By the end of the grant in April 2025, 40 women will have built sustainable livelihoods through vermicomposting—turning waste into wealth and breaking barriers along the way.