Our Story
India's economy is growing rapidly, but rising inequality is limiting its benefits; more than 50% children, under the age of 5, suffer from chronic malnutrition; according to World Bank Numbers, 60% of India's population lives on less than $3.10 (~£2.5) a day, the World Bank's median poverty line; India sits in the108th position out of the 193 countries in the UN Gender Inequality Index of 2022. This reality for millions of women is less pay, less health care, worsening violence and abuse. Women are losing their voice in political and social life.
For thousands of women in rural West Bengal, economic dependency and political underrepresentation remain significant barriers. Women continue to be excluded from decision-making spaces, whether at home, in the community, or in governance structures. This project is about changing that reality—one woman at a time.
The project titled Enhancing Women’s Leadership in Political Process and Livelihoods is being implemented across four village councils in Birbhum and South 24 Parganas districts in rural West Bengal, India.
This project adopts a comprehensive approach to address the root causes and consequences of gender-based violence while striving to create an equitable society for women. The project focuses on capacity building at all levels to enable active participation in political processes, gender-responsive budgeting, and community development. Its efforts aim to combat gender injustices and inequalities, raise social awareness, and support women in developing their lives, livelihoods, and leadership skills.
As a part of this project, women are organised into Nari Jagran Committees (Women Awakening Committees) and Self-Help Groups to strengthen their economic and political participation. Activities, training sessions and workshops are also conducted with elected women representatives to address lack of women’s representation in policy making and infrastructural inadequacies.
(Women gathered for a Women Awakening Committee Meeting)
At the heart of this effort is Metho: A Fragrance of Bengal. Metho is a women-led initiative that produces chemical-free, handmade products, giving rural women a sustainable income source and a pathway to financial independence. Metho is more than just a brand—it is a movement that helps women assert control over their livelihoods, build collective strength, and access fair market opportunities.
With your support, Action Village India aims to:
- Equip women leaders with skills to navigate governance structures effectively.
- Provide livelihood training to 50 women and help them form producer groups to market their products collectively.
- Develop and promote the brand ‘Metho’, an initiative producing chemical-free, handmade products made by marginalized women.
- Conduct research to understand local markets, value chains, and haats (weekly village markets) to ensure women’s economic participation is sustainable.
- Establish direct market linkages so women can sell their products fairly and earn independent incomes.
. (Weekly village market, also known as a haat)
Why This Matters?
Women’s economic independence directly impacts their social and political empowerment. Without financial security, they remain dependent, limiting their ability to challenge oppressive norms or demand their rights. In rural West Bengal:
- 62.5% women in the project area have no personal income.
- More than 50% families in the area rely on daily wage labour with few opportunities for growth.
- Families in the project area have an average monthly income of approximately £50.
- Child marriage, limited education, and lack of financial control continue to trap women in cycles of poverty.
This project aims to build a scalable model that can be replicated in other regions, ensuring more women gain access to livelihoods, leadership, and lasting change.
How Your Support Will Help
The funds raised will be used to:
- Train 50 women in livelihood skills (handicrafts, farming, entrepreneurship).
- Provide legal & marketing support to register and scale the ‘Metho’ brand.
- Assist women-led producer groups in accessing local markets.
- Conduct leadership training for women in governance and advocacy.
(Woman posing proudly with Metho products)
A Taste of India, A Step Towards Change
As a token of our gratitude, donors will receive recipe cards and our beloved Madras Cafe Cookbooks. These cookbooks, filled with authentic Indian vegetarian recipes than can be easily adapted to vegan, are a labour of love created by our passionate trustees and volunteers. These recipes have been loved by thousands at the WOMAD festival and celebrate the rich flavours and traditions of India.
Just as women in Bengal prepare handmade products and organic snacks to build their lives and livelihoods, we can celebrate their efforts by recreating Indian recipes from the Madras Cafe Cookbook, in our very own kitchens. Each meal becomes a connection – a reminder that food nourishes not just our bodies, but also our communities and futures.
(Women selling Metho products in a weekly haat)
With every dish you prepare, you’re supporting rural women in gaining financial independence and leadership opportunities. We invite you to be part of this transformation—donate today and help us build a future where rural women lead, earn, and thrive.