SEWA Cooperative Federation Information

The Self-Employed Women’s Association (SEWA) Cooperative Federation was set up in 1992 as an offshoot of the informal women workers movement in Ahmedabad’s textile mills. The Federation works to empower informal women workers towards full employment and self-reliance through formation of collectives and cooperatives. These cooperatives offer an opportunity for members to take ownership of their trades and ensure income and work security with persistent business development activities. In keeping with our mission, we work as a Women’s Enterprise Support System (WESS). Our work has three pillars through which we support Women’s Collective Enterprises (WCE) via a team of experienced professionals with tailor-made services for informal women workers: 1. Capacity Building: Governance, Financial Management, Skill based 2. Business Development: Marketing services, Financial services, Incubation & Revival 3. Policy Action: Research, Advocacy, Communications The Federation works on the demand and supply side of the Cooperative ecosystem; programmes simultaneously offer support to WCEs based on their demands, along with advocacy for initiatives to strengthen systems. Currently, the Federation is focusing on five core areas in the context of informal women worker collectives, namely: 1. Economic Sustainability 2. Climate Resilience 3. Youth Inclusion 4. Digital Inclusion 5. Innovation