by Royal D'Souza
MUMBAI, JULY 20, 2017: While the cash-guzzling conglomerates, with deep pockets, grab the headlines in India, it is the small-scale establishments that struggle to feature. 
One such establishment is the Don Bosco Centre for Social Change (DBCSC) in Kurla, which has been working assiduously to support women make their dreams of owning businesses a reality.
With its experience of having trained over 1500 women entrepreneurs over the years, DBCSC offered a five-day long Entrepreneurship Development Programme (EDP) to two batches of 27 women from Taddev, Rajodi and Thane areas in June. The training was inaugurated on June 7 in the presence of Linda Machado from SHARE, Bhakti from MarketPlace India and management from DBCL. The first session ran from June 7 to 12, while the second from June 13 to 17, both at the SHARE and MarketPlace India office in Santacruz, Mumbai.
The main objective of the programme was to build leadership qualities within the members of women Self Help Groups (SHGs), to train the participants to identify and analyze constraints and barriers in women entrepreneurship and devise appropriate strategies to surmount these.
The EDP was designed only for women from SHGs. Competent and experienced resource persons from different backgrounds like marketing, investment, banking provided the right information and motivation so that the participants could become successful businesswomen.
In the five days of EDP training, the participants received information on personality development, leadership, marketing, finance and several practical tips on how to become successful businesswomen. The candidates enrolled for the programme are already into production as part of their Self Help Group's activity for MarketPlace India. They had received skill training from MarketPlace in tailoring and embroidery work. 
On the first day, participants were divided into two groups and were challenged to do business within 24 hrs with just Rs 100. It was a practical and fun experience that enabled them to think of all the aspects of business when they reflected on that experience.
At the valedictory function, representatives from the trainees shared their experiences about the programme. Mary Rodrigues said, "It was a wonderful experience for me that has given me the ability to start my new business confidently." Hirabai Sakpal, from the second batch added, "During the EDP training we learned everything practically regarding banking and marketing, specially the Rs 100 business exercise."