Enriche is aptly named.
Barefoot College Solar Mamas are trained as engineers. They learn critical technical skills to perform an amazing task: Solar electrify their villages and maintain the grid for maximum efficiency.
This is no small task, but it is only the start of the journey these women take to lead their families and their communities out of ultra poverty. This is where Enriche comes in.
The Enriche programme identifies challenges faced by women and provides them with tools and knowledge to become a part of the solution. Enabled, they create sustainable socioeconomic growth suited to their communities through a bottom-up approach.
Originated in 2015 and officially launched last year, the Enriche programme helps women reach their full potential and embark on a journey towards empowerment through four building blocks: ENHANCE, ENABLE, ENGAGE, ESTABLISH, all of which fuels Enterprise opportunities for continued economic growth.
- ENHANCE: We complement our solar training programme for women by providing a holistic curriculum that includes self awareness, reproductive health, digital literacy, financial inclusion, micro-enterprise, legal and civic rights, and environmental stewardship. Nearly 200 women participated in this education in the last year alone.
- ENABLE: We support solar mamas to create livelihoods through relevant skills like stitching and sewing so they can have the first-hand experience of running micro-enterprises.
- ENGAGE: We collaborate with ground partners to address social norms and community challenges, like workshops on reproductive health, STEM education, and the creation of Barefoot Menstrual Hygiene toolkits made by our tailoring trainees.
- ESTABLISH: We further support women in becoming self-reliant and resilient entrepreneurs via access to Financial Services and Mentoring & Market Linkages.
These building blocks effectively prepare women who may lack formal education or literacy skills to confidently engage in business and community leadership activities. Many are prepared to participate in our growing enterprise activities.
ENRICHE Social Enterprises
We focus on (1) providing women rural entrepreneurs with resources and linkages to generate a stable income and (2) creating products and services that deliver social and environmental benefits. Barefoot College Training Centers serve as Incubation Hubs, where our Enriche enterprises benefit from a dedicated entrepreneurial team with expertise ranging from technical training to end-consumer marketing.
The technical skills training gives women the tools they need to be successful and make an impact. But through Enriche’s foundational blocks they become well-rounded capable leaders, who help chart the way for all.
