NGOs Connect & NGOs Marketplace

NGOs Connect is a new initiative of the Trust, established in 2019, with the objective of creating a platform for local NGOs to market products produced by their beneficiaries, provide skilling to these beneficiaries to improve production, and enhance employability chances as well as to act as a bridge between these NGOs and the local business community. The project also aimed to inform these NGOs about existing Trust schemes and workshops with the aim of imparting skill-based training in various areas – which could be organized as required, with the help of experts.

A major achievement of the project was the successful organization of the NGOs Marketplace, organized in February 2020. The initiative brought together 26 NGOs to exhibit the products made by their beneficiaries, and further helped in motivating and encouraging the beneficiaries, by showing them that they are capable of being independent and having sustainable livelihoods. 

In September 2022, two weeks sessions were arranged to provide expert guidance to these NGOs representatives to upgrade / upscale their products. The faculties were well known figures from the city who have tremendous experience, expertise & knowledge of their field. Along with designs, the entrepreneurship skills sessions were also arranged covering the topics of marketing, including digital marketing, branding. – thus enabling the generation of sustainable livelihoods for their beneficiaries. 

The next phase of the project is to help these NGOs scale up their projects and gain entry into commercial markets through capacity building and skill development workshops. The Trust is a charitable trust working in the field of education and skilling. The Trust has initiated a project ‘NGOs connect’ to bring together local NGOs / SHGs on one common platform.

We are launching the year-long Mentoring Program for NGOs and Self Help Groups who make and sell products. It is planned that the following modules will be covered –

• Product design & development
• Foundations of Design
• Marketing,
• Branding / Packaging,
• Finance / Scaling up

The formats to cover these segments the following format will be used training at Chitnavis Trust, Computer lab hands on session, practical workshops, industrial visit, one on one mentoring etc. This complete exercise will be done with support from expert trainers / faculties from respective fields.

This is phase three of our NGO’s Program

In phase one, two weeks Training Session were arranged to provide expert guidance to the NGOs representatives to upgrade / upscale their products. The faculties were well known figures from the city who have tremendous experience, expertise & knowledge of their respective field.  

The second program of this initiative was the ‘NGOs Marketplace’ which took place at Chitnavis Centre. The Trust organized this exhibition free of cost that is without charging anything from the participating NGOs & SHGs.

NGOs Marketplace has been designed with two objectives, firstly – To create a platform for local NGOs / SHGs to market products produced by their beneficiaries & secondly to act as a bridge between NGOs / SHGs and the local businesses community

Participating NGOs are mostly women from economically weaker section of society who want to become economically independent, as also those working with differently abled and children with special needs.

The products their beneficiaries make range from paper products to cloth bags to food items which are as follows – Files, paper bags, jute bags, fancy envelops, paper flowers, rugs, terracotta products, handmade greeting cards, candles, mobile covers, door mats, phenyl, herbal tea, millets, organic ground nut oil, block prints, ceramic pots, door hangings etc. The exhibition allowed the sale of products. The visitors appreciated the products & it was a successful venture. Few NGOs / SHGs made changes & improved their product designs which yielded good results in their sales.

This complete package will help the organization in a big way to create a better market for the product & upscale NGOs / SHGs standards.