The projects taken up for Women’s Empowerment programs fall under three prakalpas:

• Christine Prakalpa – Working in urban slums or rural areas to arrange for housing, connectivity, sanitation and potable water, basic and education through construction of tube wells, coaching, literacy and computer classes for children as well as vocational training and basic education classes.
  
  
  
• Sudhira Prakalpa - Help the tribal ladies and girls to enhance their self-image & improve the standard of living and to create awareness among the urban people about the rich cultural variety of our country – through exhibition & cultural shows as well as educational coaching and vocational training programs and welfare activities to improve their living conditions as well as medical camps.
  
  
  
• Community Health Prakalpa - This project aims to expand the services it provides to women and by increasing the number of specialities in RkSM Matri Bhavan hospital, open a new Diploma by National Board (DNB) course, and provide vocational training to girls from the lower income groups through the Sahayika Sevika Course in the new Swami Vivekananda Educational Complex which is being constructed.

Vivek Mela, January 12th - 14th, 2013
Creating National Market for Regional Products Created by Women’s Self-Empowerment Groups
Christine Prakalpa

From 12th to 14th January, a Vivek Mela was held at Sri Sarada Math, Dakshineswar.  This mela was hosted to enable women’s self empowerment groups associated with Sri Sarada Math and Ramakrishna Sarada Mission to display and sell their products.  Most of them were from different Sri Sarada Math and Ramakrishna Sarada Mission centers of West Bengal and one each from Arunachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Orissa and Andhra Pradesh.  A few stalls were from Self Empowerment groups functioning independently.

There were 40 stalls at the mela, of which 8 were food stalls. 

Some of the vocational training units of various RkSM centers displayed and sold the products created by their trainees.  This enables them to earn an income while in training.  It also gives them the experience of running a stall and selling their products, dealing with customers and exposes them to new ideas from other stalls. 

There is a success story of this type of training.  The women who ran the Bhagini Nivedita Nari Kalyan stall were once students of RkSM – HQ –Kannyapith.  Based on the training they received at Kannyapith and the experience they received at previous Melas with the Kannyapith stall, this year they ventured to establish their own stall and manage and sell their own products.  They also have created a market for their products and they will continue to build on the success of this mela to more firmly establish their business. 

The RkSM stalls from Valsad, Guntur and Arunachal Pradesh also showcased regional crafts.  The crafts ranged from clothing, knits, other textiles as well as handicrafts such as jewelry, baskets, pottery, etc.  RkSM Guntur and Arunachal Pradesh were returning attendees and their products were highly sought after.  RkSM Valsad showcased their product for the first time to create a new market.  The products were in high demand and all the products were sold out.

The food stalls sold regional foods such as pickles, chutneys, dry snacks as well as other snacks from all over India.  These items were mostly made by the ladies in self-empowerment programs at various centers.  These programs are geared towards empowering women who do not have the time, skills and/or inclination to learn handicrafts, to utilize their existing culinary skills to create edible products using locally available agricultural products.