TECHNOLOGY INFLUENCES: The Federation of Indian Women Entrepreneurs (FIWE)

12th Global Conference of Women Enterpreneurs

Trade Liberalization & Its Global Impact:5th, 6th & 7th Sepetember,2012;

The LAlit, New Delhi, India

Registrations for 12th Global Conference are open till 10th July, 2012

Release Date: Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Why should you join FIWE?

Networking with passionate women entrepreneurs.
Access to conferences and B2B meetings with companies of global repute
Access to FIWE knowledge center and consulting expertise.
Access to eminent speakers & visionaries.

Organisation

Preamble:

Women Entrepreneurs in India represent a dynamic group of Women who have

broken away from the beaten track, where demands at home, family oppositions

& cultural inhibitions, have led to lack of support, resources and opportunities;

are now exploring new vistas of economic participation with an all new vigor.

A great many of them have chosen the Entrepreneurs World because of a

compelling urge to do something positive. They are the pace setters for women

in their quest for economic independence.

The Federation of Indian Women Entrepreneurs (FIWE) which is a National-level
Organization brings the businesswomen on a common platform and ensures
that their opinions, ideas and visions are collectively and effectively taken up
with policy makers and various other agencies respectively for the development
of Enterprise in Women.

Collectively FIWE endeavors to: Create public awareness towards women's
contribution to the National Economy, Establish pressure groups advocating
the cause of women, and Educate & Train young women entrepreneurs for their
right initiation into business.

FIWE is working towards National and International Co-operation amongst

Women Entrepreneurs with a singular motive: Together Towards a Glorious Future!

Background:
The Federation of Indian Women Entrepreneurs (FIWE) is an outcome of the
decisions taken at the International Conference of Women Entrepreneurs held
in December 1993 at Hyderabad (India). The idea was that the Women’s Wing
of the erstwhile National Alliance of Young Entrepreneurs (NAYE) converts itself
into an Autonomous National-level Women Entrepreneur’s organization whose
main function would be networking and to provide a package of services to the
Associations of women entrepreneurs in different parts of the country.

It was accordingly announced that NAYE Women’s Wing will henceforth be known
as Federation of Indian Women Entrepreneurs (FIWE) and will have no chapters.
Associations of Women Entrepreneurs in various Districts and States will be provided
to Women Entrepreneurs in India. Individual Women Entrepreneurs could also be
eligible for general membership.

Brief Profile:
Federation of Indian Women Entrepreneurs (FIWE), which is a National-level

organization, founded in 1993, is today, one of India’s Premier Institution

for Women thoroughly devoted towards Entrepreneurship Development, having a

large membership base of 15,000 individual members/professionals and 28

member associations spread throughout the country.

The objective of the organization is to foster the Economic Empowerment of

Women, particularly the SME segment, by helping them to become successful

entrepreneurs and become a part of the mainstream industry.

FIWE endeavors to provide: Networking platform for women, Technical know-how,
Industry research & expertise, Skill development & training and brings the business
women on a Common Forum; and ensures that their opinions, ideas and visions are
collectively and effectively taken up with policy makers and various other agencies
respectively for the development of Enterprise in Women.

The organization is a formation of an umbrella group of local organizations around

India with a growing member base of 15,000 including those from 28 local affiliated

associations in India. Small-Scale entrepreneurs account for approximately 60

percent of FIWE combined membership, with large firms representing 15 percent

and micro-enterprises the remainder. Thanks to the distribution on the territory of

the target group, FIWE’s activity of assembling and representing business

associations and enterprises of All economic sectors, is articulated all India.

Mission

To promote Entrepreneurship among Women and thereby empower them to

join the economic mainstream.

To enhance the Status of Women in the society, by creating a culture of

Entrepreneurship among women, both in Rural and Urban areas.

To develop successful models of Entrepreneurship for emulation world-wide.

Objectives

The key objectives of the Federation of Indian Women Entrepreneurs
(FIWE) are as follows:

To provide training facilities in Export Marketing and Management,

Domestic Marketing, Quality Control and Standardization, Management

of Enterprise Laws, Regulations, Procedures and Systems for running Small

& Medium sized enterprises and sustaining their growth.

To facilitate Enterprise to Enterprise Cooperation within the country and with

SME and Women Entrepreneur counterparts in 96countries of the world

as on 30th June, 1994, having Members and Associates of World Association

of small and Medium Enterprises (WASME), with which FIWE is affiliated..

To provide greater access to latest technologies, know- how, related

equipments and services for modernization and expansion of existing

small & medium sized enterprises run by Women Entrepreneurs.

To facilitate participation in International and Regional exhibitions,

buyers-sellers meet, trade fairs, seminars and symposia, to help

women entrepreneurs to get greater exposure to Regional and Global

business environment and opportunities.

To effectively articulate the problems and constraints faced by women

entrepreneurs to get greater exposure to regional and global business

environment and opportunities.

To strengthen affiliated Associations of Women Entrepreneurs by

providing them package of services including information, contracts,

training facilities and other related supporting measures.

To bring out a quarterly newsletter to educate and inform women

entrepreneurs on business opportunities, management and exchange

of experience and expertise.

To enhance access to term loan working capital.
Assisting in the identification of investment opportunities.

Methodology

Nonprofits often are told to maximize their organizational capacity as a way to
improve their performance. Knowing what capacity actually means and how to
identify areas of need, however, can be confusing. Tools that define and assess
organizational capacity can help organizations identify their unique capacity building
needs and guide the development of plans to address them.

Federation of Indian Women Entrepreneurs —Women entrepreneurs in India
represent dynamic group of women who have broken the beaten track and are
exploring new vistas of economic participation’s of clients, demands at home
and other family oppositions leading to lack of support. A great many of them
have chosen the entrepreneurs world because of a compelling urge to do something
positive. They are the pace setters for women in their quest for economic
independence. FIWE is a national Organization which brings the businesswomen on
a common platform and ensures that their opinions, ideas and visions are collectively
and effectively taken up with policy makers and various other agencies respectively
for the development of Enterprise in Women.

President’s Message

My joy, knows no bounds! For me and for FIWE, it is a culmination of a journey-

started way back in 1993, when FIWE was established at Hyderabad (India) by

converting the Women’s Wing of the erstwhile National Alliance of Young

Entrepreneurs (NAYE) into an Autonomous National Level Women Entrepreneurs

Organization.

The main objective of FIWE is development of women entrepreneurship in the

country.We have a large membership base of 15000 individual members/

professionals sand 28 member associations spread across the country.

We are also affiliated with International Federation of Women Entrepreneurs

(IFWE), which has a member ship base of 21 countries and more countries are

being added soon.

FIWE provides business counseling to aspirant women start-ups. We also provide

hand holding and networking opportunities to start-ups and also to women

interest ed in growing their business further. FIWE regularly organizes EDP and

also the skill development program in various cities/towns across the country.

Over 5000 women have benefited in last 3 years.

I would like FIWE to become a stronger organization which can work on all

important issues related to women entrepreneurs. Interaction with policy makers

need being increased on regular basis particularly because I am, personally, of the

opinion that policies of the Government need to be more gender sensitive. Let’s

take recent TKA Nair MSME Task Force Report .You would be surprised to know

that there is almost no mention of women entrepreneurs in the whole report.

I hope that Government of India would take note of the same and take necessary

steps to address major concerns and issues of women entrepreneurs.

The knowledge economy has certainly created large number of never before

opportunities for women particularly in service sector. Today one can see a women

entrepreneur in almost every field be it ICT, Retail, Service Sector, Health Care,

Insurance, Tourism, Education and even International Trade. I keep meeting so

many management and technosavy women professionals who are eager to take

dip in world of business.

There are many challenges faced by women entrepreneurs be they start-ups or

struggling to grow their existing business. Take for example; large numbers of

women are not able to take advantage of Government schemes because they

are not registered under MSME Act. Registration of a unit under MSME Act is not

as easy as it needs to be. We are taking up this issue shortly with MSME Ministry

and hope to make it easier at-least for women enterprises. Easy availability of

credit and at preferential interest rate for women entrepreneurs remains our long

standing demand. We also find that at large women are not aware of women

focused financial and non-financial schemes. Government should support FIWE to

organize more of awareness seminars.

Coinciding with International Women’s Day, FIWE organized Women Entrepreneurs

Day on March 8th,2011.FIWE regularly organizes EDP's and henceforth plans to

organize knowledge workshops/seminars on topics such as Bar-coding, Packaging,

E-Commerce, Developing a Business Plan, Exporting to Emerging Markets such as

Brazil, ASEAN, USA, China and others. We also plan to organize Buyer-Seller

Meets and Exhibitions. FIWE is also organizing two International conferences, one

in Delhi and another in Colombo with each event likely to see participation of over

1000 women entrepreneurs from across the world.

FIWE instituted PRIYADARSHANI AWARDS for successful women entrepreneurs

from pan India and also from SAARC countries. Over 300 women have been

honored with this prestigious award and let me tell you many of the winner s

today is considered outstanding achievers in their countries. Ms Jennet from

Srilanka, Ms Martha Thiller of Indonesia and Shahnaz Hussain of India are well

known entrepreneurs and role models for new generations in their respective

countries. We would soon be announcing the dates for seeking nominees for

PRIYADARSHNI AWARDS for 2011.

FIWE celebrated International Women Day March 8th,2011 as WOMEN

ENTREPRENEURS DAY. The Hon’ble Chief Minister of Delhi Smt.

Sheila Dixit was the Chief Guest. Over 60 women entrepreneurs participated in

interactive sessions. Report in brief, attached. SIDBI along with SBI was the

sponsors. FIWE also successfully completed first phase of Central Government

sponsored programme (Special) SGSY under which over 2500 BPL youth has

been trained in different trade & Industry related skills. The project is going on

in 10 districts of 3 states namely MP,Rajasthan & Orissa.

FIWE is organizing an international women entrepreneurs event titled ASIAN

WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS SUMMIT in New Delhi on November 17-19th, 2011

at India International Centre(IIC) lodhi Colony, New Delhi. Over 600 plus women

entrepreneurs are expected to participate with 300 plus from different parts of

the world.

With an excellent record and milestones, we endeavor to continue our quest for

excellence with continuous efforts and improvements in all the diverse fields for

Women Empowerment and eradication of Poverty & Illiteracy and make our Indian

a better place to be...

I extend my best wishes to you all!

Dr. (Mrs.) Rajnee Aggarwal

President
May 3rd, 2011

Services

“EMPOWERING WOMEN THROUGH ENTREPRESHIP DEVELPOMENT TO

IMPROOVE THEIR ECONOMIC CONDITION”

The Approach:

Entrepreneur Guiding Entrepreneur through the voluntary effort of

successful women entrepreneurs adopting professional tools of counseling,
training, hand holding, mentoring and peer-group support.

Creating establishing and implementing a suitable module for empowering

potential women entrepreneurs.

The Target Group:

All Women from urban, Rural, National and international areas aspiring to

be socially and economically self reliant and empowered, irrespective of their
academic, social and economic background.

FIWE’s clientele comprises of 90% women, 80% rural of which 50% belong

to low income.

NGO’s engaged in Income Generation Activities & Entrepreneurship

Development.

Stimulus:

1.Business Counseling:

The first and most popular service of FIWE. Aspiring women come to

FIWE for support to convert their ideas into a profitable business enterprise.

Women are counseled at FIWE’s office. Sector specific counseling on various

business opportunities is done on selected days.

One-to-one business counseling done voluntarily by existing member

entrepreneurs who have also undergone training in processional counseling.

2.Entrepreneurship Awareness Program(EAP):

Is a program where FIWE informs its clientele of what services it offers

and entrepreneur’s, entrepreneurship.

Discussion on business ideas, schemes and incentives offered by

different agencies.

Conducted often in interior rural areas to reach out to larger number of

women.

Start-UP:

1.Entrepreneurship Development Program (EDP): FIWE conducts general
entrepreneurship Development programs normally after awareness programs
or at periodic intervals FIWE has trained thousands of women covering various
states of India.

Unique training module development and practiced by FIWE.
Capacity building and preparation of client for business development.
Includes sessions on empowerment, business, exposure visits, and

interaction with successful entrepreneurs, Government Officials and
support agencies.

Provides networking with support agencies and provision of escort

services to the clients.

Follow-up programs for EDP participants.

2.Skill Development Program (SDP): We also conduct Skill Development
program in specific sectors like, leather craft, woodwork, matting and
basket weaving, grass mat, pottery, packaging, handicrafts, photo framing,
Bar coding, Hand Made Paper and Eco-Friendly products etc. fir EDP
beneficiaries and other counsels.

Sustenance:-

1.Support in Marketing and Networking:

Periodical exhibitions, Seminars, Conference and workshop at a subsidized

cost for its members organized at strategic locations.

Facilitates joint participation in important national and international trade

fairs, products courts, buyer-seller meets and create linkages with prospective
buyers.

2.Management Development Program (MDP): is an integral part of FIWE’s
activities. The objective of MDP is to enhance entrepreurs skills and technology
up gradation in order to support growth of their business enterprise.

3.Member Service Program (MSP): FIWE has 12000 individual members and

22 state Associates membership base who are practicing entrepreneurs.

The membership committee supports the needs of these members.