NSFI is now Act Impact
Across rural India, a woman's economic story often begins the same way: a skill she's never had the chance to turn into income, a bank account she's never held signing authority over, land or a herd registered in someone else's name, and a market she has no way to reach on her own. She carries a disproportionate share of household work while holding the least control over technology, finance, land, and markets, and for rural women, tribal communities, and women-led enterprises, even the institutional support meant to help often arrives last, if at all, holding back families and communities alike.
At ActImpact, we treat gender equality not as a standalone programme but as a principle running through everything we design: because empowering women strengthens families, builds more resilient communities, and accelerates inclusive growth. That means enterprise-building, financial inclusion, market access, and evidence-based programme design, so a woman gains not just training but capital, a bank account, and a buyer. Beyond income, we work with Self-Help Groups, producer organisations, and local governments, and engage men, families, and policy stakeholders, so women gain agency, institutional voice, and a seat in decisions that shape their households and communities.
Location: Slums of Mumbai, Maharashtra
Focus: Creating inclusive livelihoods for women & Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) in Mumbai slums through handmade products.
Impact Numbers: 60 women & PwDs gaining independent livelihoods through handmade products
Location: Mashobra Block, Shimla, Himachal PradeshFocus: Women's economic inclusion through forest-based handicraft enterprises & brand development.Impact Numbers: 325 women becoming entrepreneurs with their own pine-needle handicraft brand
Location: Sangareddy district (Telangana), Sonipat district (Haryana) & Mysuru district (Karnataka)Focus: Strengthened rural micro-entrepreneurship & self-reliance through a women-led movement.Impact Numbers: 103 women achieved 25% income growth via sustainable micro-nano enterprises; 1,000 women trained in income-generation skills
Location: Mashobra Block, Shimla, Himachal PradeshFocus: Economic empowerment of women through complementary livelihood options & entrepreneurship.Impact Numbers: 150 women achieved 25% income growth through sustainable livelihoods & enterprise development; 500 women trained technically; 1,200 reached through awareness building
Location: Assam & Uttar PradeshFocus: Financial literacy and access to formal banking for economically marginalised, unbanked women farmers.Impact Numbers: 305 women farmers trained and linked to banks
Anita Sharma's monthly income grew from ₹3,000-₹4,000 to ₹20,000-₹25,000 in tourist season, as she moved from learner to pine craft trainer.
Babita Singh turned a private pine needle craft hobby into stalls, orders, and public recognition under Project Sabal Sakhi.
Sita, Veena and Nisha turned apple-orchard apiculture into a growing honey and farm-produce enterprise, aiming to scale from 500 to 1,500 bee boxes.
Suresha turned bag-making training into a growing enterprise, with her husband and community now joining the craft she once doubted she could sustain.
At 18, Manisha grew her family's backyard poultry from household use into an income source, tripling her daily earnings from ₹100 to ₹300.
Poonam Kashyap turned pine needles once seen as forest waste into home décor products, lifting her monthly income to ₹5,000-₹10,000.
Priyanka Angiras grew her pine craft income from ₹2,000-₹3,000 to ₹15,000-₹20,000 in season, and now trains other women entrepreneurs.
Promila Sharma now earns ₹5,000-₹15,000 a month turning pine needles into baskets, coasters and jewellery, while reducing forest fire risk.
Asma helped her family's tamarind business shift from routine selling to hygiene-led processing and market linkages, creating seasonal work for others in her village.
Inspired by her mother-in-law, G. Vanaja trained as a beautician and opened her own parlour, building an independent income and identity.
After years of setbacks, Jyothi rebuilt her confidence through Project Sabala mentoring and opened a village Ladies' Emporium.
Machinery support and enterprise training helped Laljibhai reduce manual labour and build Rajput Royal into a market-oriented natural farming enterprise.
Training helped Mahendra Bhai and Ranjit Bhai convert cow dung into value-added handmade products, generating local demand and stronger community recognition.
With enterprise training and machinery support, Nilesh Bhai restarted Prinee Computerized Embroidery on a stronger foundation and is steadily rebuilding his business.
Hitesh Solanki now earns close to ₹5,000 every 45-50 days from small-scale vermicomposting and is working toward ₹25,000-₹30,000 a month through expansion.
