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The idea for the project came about during Omed’s last visit to the Patiala Foundation (PF) with the
opportunity to visit some villages in the Patiala area. The patriarchal structures and their consequences there, but he was made aware of the grievances and asked to try to solve them together with the PF. The proportion of around 10% of self-employed women and the
proportion of women in general of less than 47% speak volumes. The SHG women expressed a wish
to strengthen them sustainably and to network them online. The women have smartphones, which
they use for the planned interactions within and between the SHGs. Each SHG has 1 laptop with a
printer. Three women from each of 10 SHGs (each has around 25 to 35 members) are selected, learn
and adapt online (exchange) business platforms to their needs, ensure the presence of SHGs on the
Internet, produce short instructional videos and stories, and pass on warnings about fraud and bad
weather via their smartphones.
The PF has a building with the spatial, technical and personnel options for complete support, logistics
and training for the project. Other project contents include: design and online security. Many of the
desired tools are available as modules, but they are not ready and connected, so they are of no use to
the women. Only when the functions are selected, adapted and designed together (!) with the
women does the Internet make sense for them and they can maintain and fill their own area within it
themselves. The women often come from humble backgrounds and face great challenges. Lowthreshold
implementation and acceptance are cornerstones of the project. The teaching material is
written down. Finally, further SHGs are motivated, regional multipliers, the local press and politicians
are invited, where the women present their “work” to a larger public.