Market scans that enable creation of job opportunities as well as micro-enterprises and MAST works with key ecosystem players to create a viable and sustainable livelihoods model for the communities. The program also works closely with employers to develop the market-aligned training curricula to create a workforce of skilled youth to meet the growing demands of diversified local industries.
MAST
Market Aligned Skills Training
AIF’s flagship livelihoods program, Market Aligned Skills Training (MAST), leverages technology to equip underprivileged youth, marginalized rural women, Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) and nano-entrepreneurs with the knowledge, skills, and financial and market linkages they need to find employment, run businesses, launch micro-enterprises, and earn a dignified living.
Since it began in 2005, MAST has paved the way for the Ability Based Livelihood Empowerment (ABLE) program, which aims to create more opportunities for people with disabilities to participate in the job market, and promote inclusive growth in India
Why MAST
Why MAST
Set to be world’s most populous country by 2025, India is primed to reap a “demographic dividend” from its young population. Yet millions of young people come to cities from disadvantaged backgrounds with little to no prior education and lack the basic skills to obtain gainful employment. At the same time, the parallel expansion of India’s high-growth industries requires increased workforce participation from women - currently only at 33% in comparison to 67% men in 2022 (Source: Statista)– resulting in a fundamental imbalance in the labor market. Skills development, dignified employment, and enterprise management, especially for street vendors and nano entrepreneurs hold the key to India’s ability to activate the vast potential of its population for inclusive growth and to evolve as the hub of the global economy.
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How MAST works
How MAST works
MAST is creating a workforce of skilled professionals; empowering rural women to build their social identity and financial capital, and also enabling street vendors and other nano-enterprises, to resurrect their livelihoods in a post-pandemic era through:
Catalyzing a technology-enabled, inclusive, and adaptive skilling ecosystem, aims to sustain jobs, and remote job creation, linking the targeted beneficiaries with aspirational jobs in technology, banking, and travel; facilitating their transition, and acclimatizing them to the newly acquired remote jobs through the innovative Remote Employment (REMO) Centers.
Creation of an ecosystem to identify systemic gaps in enterprise creation for women, build their entrepreneurial capabilities, provide linkages with FinTechs and build market linkages to create a unique logistics network where opportunities are being sourced from all over the country and all over the globe.
Empowering street vendors through project Entre-Prerana by facilitating formal registration, access to low-cost capital through banks, and linkages to new markets and e-commerce platforms. The project also utilizes an innovative AI-enabled underwriting and loan disbursal platform that provides loans through a real-time process and removes barriers like long duration of loan approvals, and default in loan repayment.
Creating a workforce skilled in sectors such as renewable energy, environment, climate change, sustainable development, and waste management to accelerate India's transition from a carbon-intensive economy to a greener economy, improve social equity, and raise the standard of living.
The MAST Impact
-
99,951
Jobs created for disadvantaged youth across Retail, IT, Geriatric Care, Electrical, Automotive, and Other Industries -
246,088
Disadvantaged youth, women trained in market-relevant skills -
236
Skilling centers established -
75,987
Street vendors and nano-entrepreneurs empowered through Entre-Prerana
Our Reach
- 10,059 Disadvantaged youth and women trained in market-relevant skills
- 7802 Disadvantaged youth and women linked with sustainable livelihoods
- 358 Disadvantaged youth and women trained in market-relevant skills
- 249 Disadvantaged youth and women linked with sustainable livelihoods
- 7,162 Rickshaw pullers linked with asset ownership
- 3,402 Disadvantaged youth and women trained in market-relevant skills
- 3,046 Disadvantaged youth and women linked with sustainable livelihoods
- 5,816 Rickshaw pullers linked with asset ownership
- 2,571 Disadvantaged youth and women trained in market-relevant skills
- 1,223 Disadvantaged youth and women linked with sustainable livelihoods
- 9,731 Disadvantaged youth and women trained in market-relevant skills
- 4,593 Disadvantaged youth and women linked with sustainable livelihoods
- 18,380 Street vendors trained in digital payments
- 3,584 street vendors linked with loans under PM SVANidhi Scheme
- 116 Rickshaw pullers linked with asset ownership
- 48,253 Disadvantaged youth and women trained in market-relevant skills
- 37,521 Disadvantaged youth and women linked with sustainable livelihoods
- 7,331 Disadvantaged youth and women trained in market-relevant skills
- 4,786 Disadvantaged youth and women linked with sustainable livelihoods
- 14,004 Disadvantaged Youth and Women Trained
- 10,088 Disadvantaged Youth and women linked with Sustainable Livelihoods
- 2,746 Disadvantaged Youth and Women Trained
- 1,269 Disadvantaged Youth and women linked with Sustainable Livelihoods
- 114,812 Disadvantaged youth and women trained in market-relevant skills
- 4,548 Disadvantaged youth and women linked with sustainable livelihoods
- 6,652 Street vendors trained in digital payments
- 437 street vendors linked with loans under PM SVANidhi Scheme
- 761 Disadvantaged youth and women trained in market-relevant skills
- 624 Disadvantaged youth and women linked with sustainable livelihoods
- 4,866 Street vendors trained in digital payments
- 290 street vendors linked with loans under PM SVANidhi Scheme
- 1,623 Rickshaw pullers linked with asset ownership
- 123 Disadvantaged youth and women trained in market-relevant skills
- 105 Disadvantaged youth and women linked with sustainable livelihoods
- 731 Disadvantaged youth and women trained in market-relevant skills
- 891 Disadvantaged youth and women linked with sustainable livelihoods
- 209 Rickshaw pullers linked with asset ownership
- 4,480 Disadvantaged youth and women trained in market-relevant skills
- 3,123 Disadvantaged youth and women linked with sustainable livelihoods
- 115 Rickshaw pullers linked with asset ownership
- 6,234 Disadvantaged youth and women trained in market-relevant skills
- 5,697 Disadvantaged youth and women linked with sustainable livelihoods
- 12,369 Street vendors trained in digital payments
- 5,824 street vendors linked with loans under PM SVANidhi Scheme
- 2,507 Disadvantaged youth and women trained in market-relevant skills
- 2,379 Disadvantaged youth women linked with sustainable livelihoods,
- 326 Disadvantaged youth and women trained in market-relevant skills
- 71 Disadvantaged youth and women linked with sustainable livelihoods
- 7,106 Street vendors trained in digital payments
- 1,223 street vendors linked with loans under PM SVANidhi Scheme
- 2,856 Disadvantaged Youth and Women Trained
- 1,556 Disadvantaged Youth and women linked with Sustainable Livelihoods
- 22,957 Street Vendors trained in digital payments
- 4,992 street vendors linked with loans under PM SVANidhi Scheme
- 97024 Rickshaw pullers linked with asset ownership
- 11,279 Disadvantaged Youth and Women Trained
- 7,763 Disadvantaged Youth and women linked with Sustainable Livelihoods
- 3,657 Street Vendors trained in digital payment
- 1 street vendor linked with loans under PM SVANidhi Scheme
- 7,358 Rickshaw pullers linked with asset ownership
- 161 Disadvantaged youth and women trained in market-relevant skills
- 92 Disadvantaged youth and women linked with sustainable livelihoods
- 1,683 Disadvantaged youth and women trained in market-relevant skills
- 1,357 Disadvantaged youth and women linked with sustainable livelihoods,
Our Contributors
Adobe
AIF’s project with Adobe aims to eliminate undernutrition and significantly enhance early childhood education outcomes amongst children under-6 yrs in Gyaraspur block of aspirational district of Vidisha, Madhya Pradesh.
Key Outcomes
1. 90% reduction in prevalence of wasting and underweight amongst children under-6 yrs and improved nutrition practices amongst communities.
2. 90% children (in 4 to under-6) become school ready and successfully transition to primary Schools.
3. Adoption of the integrated model (or specific components) of health, nutrition, education and livelihoods by governments or other institutions for implementation at scale.
Bank of America
AIF’s Livelihood Project, Entre-Prerana - an intervention at the confluence of digital, financial, and market linkages, is designed to revive the livelihoods of 1 million street vendors across India. Supported by Bank of America, Entre-Prerana is being implemented across Delhi, Jaipur, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Telangana. Utilizing an engaging and innovative AI-enabled underwriting and loan disbursal platform, AIF’s Entre-Prerana is empowering street vendors to revive their livelihoods in the post-pandemic era. The Project is transforming the lives of street vendors by mainstreaming their businesses through formal registration, providing access to low-cost capital through banks, and linkages to new markets and e-commerce platforms. Engage to Empower is a long-term career support intervention focused on upgrading, upskilling, and facilitating dignified job opportunities that aim to rebuild the lives of women, Persons with Disabilities (PwDs), and youth from marginalized communities, disproportionately impacted by COVID-19. Through the intervention, AIF’s Market Aligned Skills Training (MAST) Program in partnership with Bank of America, is facilitating co-learning and knowledge sharing for focused self-development and career planning with post-placement support for 3.5 years. Designed to deliver volunteer training and mentoring by the Bank of America employees in Full Stack Development, Data Analytics, Banking, Financial Services, Insurance (BFSI), and other upcoming sectors, it aims to nurture professional development, workplace readiness, and cultural transition for the identified vulnerable groups.
BlackRock
Engage to Empower is a long-term career support intervention focused on upgrading, upskilling, and facilitating dignified job opportunities that aim to rebuild the lives of women, Persons with Disabilities (PwDs), and youth from marginalized communities, disproportionately impacted by COVID-19. Through the intervention, AIF’s Market Aligned Skills Training (MAST) Program in partnership with BlackRock, is facilitating co-learning and knowledge sharing for focused self-development and career planning with post-placement support for 3.5 years. Designed to deliver volunteer training and mentoring by BlackRock employees in Full Stack Development, Data Analytics, Banking, Financial Services, Insurance (BFSI), and other upcoming sectors, it aims to nurture professional development, workplace readiness, and cultural transition for the identified vulnerable groups.
Dell Technologies
American India Foundation in Partnership with Dell Technologies is implementing a Future Workspace Skills project that aims to build workforce readiness in college-going girls and persons with disabilities. The Project, designed to catalyze a technology-enabled, inclusive, and adaptive skilling ecosystem, aims to sustain remote job creation, linking the targeted beneficiaries with aspirational jobs in technology, banking, and travel; facilitating their transition, and acclimatizing them to the newly acquired remote jobs through the innovative Remote Employment (REMO) Centers. The training curriculum, certified by the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) and DELL Tech., offers an exclusive curriculum created by subject experts and industry mentors on subjects such as communication skills, life skills, corporate grooming and etiquette, MS Office, workplace readiness, resume writing, and interview preparedness through a cutting-edge technology enabled Learning Management System (LMS).
EXL Service.com (I) Pvt. Ltd
Since 2016, AIF in partnership with EXL, through the Livelihoods Skills Development Project - Prashast (प्रशस्त: Expansive, all-embracing), has been successfully leveraging an industry-aligned training curriculum on Data Analytics, and Business Process Management, to nurture the vast potential of underprivileged youth and women, trained to meet the growing demands of diversified local industries.
Franklin Templeton
Aimed at creating an independent cadre of trained caregivers, Geriatric Care Aide project supported by Franklin Templeton is meeting the growing demands of the country’s healthcare system to bridge the gap between caregivers and the elderly population. Aimed at creating an independent cadre of trained caregivers, Geriatric Care Aide project supported by Franklin Templeton has so far trained more than 240 youths from marginalized communities, providing them access to sustainable livelihoods. The project was also conferred with the Gold Award for its outstanding performance in the Health Skilling Brand Category at the IHW awards 2020. Geriatric Care Aide is being implemented by AIF under its flagship Market Aligned Skills Training (MAST) Program that works to provide unemployed youth with comprehensive skills training to address India’s growing need for skilled manpower.
HDFC Bank Ltd
AIF in partnership with HDFC Bank Ltd is supporting 5 junior Colleges with Skilling courses training. The Skilling intervention begins by equipping 5 Junior colleges with 10 computer centers, providing a Computer laboratory to enhance student learning that reaches approximately 200 students across 5 Junior colleges. A well-rounded curriculum on Business Process Management, Graphics and print Design & Life Skills and English communication equips the beneficiaries with technical skills in Microsoft office- Word, Excel & Powerpoint.
Hindustan Unilever Limited
Supported by Hindustan Unilever Limited, AIF is implementing the project "Prabhat Livelihood Center" across Etah, Sumerpur in Uttar Pradesh, and Haridwar in Uttarakhand. The project is actively bridging the gap between vocational education and industry needs by developing life skills of women, linking them with dignified jobs and self-employment opportunities, and improving their self-confidence. Implemented under AIF’s flagship Livelihoods Program-Market Aligned Skills Training Program, the Project has transformed the lives of 2,369 women and youth from the marginalized and economically weaker section of the society. The goal of the project is to Influence the skilling and employment ecosystem for inclusion and empowerment of youth from the marginalized and economically weaker section of the society.
Jay Chawdhury
The Project with Jay Chawdhury Grant aims to work with street vendors in 8 locations (Jaipur, Delhi, Hyderabad, Lucknow, Patna, Kanpur, Ajmer, Ahmedabad) in 6 different states (Rajasthan, Delhi, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Gujratl) AIF’s Livelihood Project, Entre-Prerana - an intervention at the confluence of digital, financial, and market linkages, is designed to revive the livelihoods of 1 million street vendors across India. With the support of Jay Chawdhury, Entre-Prerana is being implemented across8 locations Rajasthan, Delhi, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Gujrat. Utilizing an engaging and innovative AI-enabled underwriting and loan disbursal platform, AIF’s Entre-Prerana is empowering street vendors to revive their livelihoods in the post-pandemic era. The Project is transforming the lives of street vendors by mainstreaming their businesses through formal registration, providing access to low-cost capital through banks, and linkages to new markets and e-commerce platforms.
MacArthur Foundation (Street Vendor Project)
AIF’s Livelihood Project, Entre-Prerana - an intervention at the confluence of digital, financial, and market linkages, is designed to revive the livelihoods of 1 million street vendors across India. With the support of Bank of America, Entre-Prerana is being implemented across Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and West Bengal) . Utilizing an engaging and innovative AI-enabled underwriting and loan disbursal platform, AIF’s Entre-Prerana is empowering street vendors to revive their livelihoods in the post-pandemic era. The Project is transforming the lives of street vendors by mainstreaming their businesses through formal registration, providing access to low-cost capital through banks, and linkages to new markets and e-commerce platforms.
Oak Foundation
The Big Bets Collaborative (BBC) is a consortium of organizations, namely, American India Foundation (AIF), Centre for Education and Communication (CEC), Mulberry, Grassroots Tea Corporation (GTC), SELCO, Start Up!, Digital Empowerment Foundation (DEF, The GOAT Trust and SwitchON Foundation, is an initiative with the Oak Foundation. These organizations have come together to work towards strengthening the ecosystem for Rural Women Entrepreneurs (RWEs). The BBC is one such platform that will design, implement, and establish enabling eco-systems and solutions for RWEs, such that they collectively lead value chains that are inclusive and committed to low-carbon economic prosperity. By doing so, BBC will seek to, a) demonstrate models of gender-inclusive entrepreneurship, b) make a business case for how entrepreneurship can be a vehicle of gender empowerment and c) showcase how rural women business leaders can take society forward as part of their business success.
Sarva Mangal Family Trust supported by MSI
AIF’s Center of Excellence, located at the Government Industrial Training Institute (ITI), Rewari, is paving the way for youth, women, and persons with disabilities from marginalized communities to access skilling, upskilling, and mentoring, along with placement and employment opportunities in the sectors of IT, electricals and electronics, logistics, data entry, and data management. Through the Center of Excellence, AIF, in partnership with government ITI, Rewari and with the support of Sarva Mangal Family Trust (MSI), over a course of three years, aims to train 1,200 beneficiaries and link 1,125 with sustainable livelihoods and also enable 75 entrepreneurs to set up their own businesses. AIF’s Livelihood Project, Entre-Prerana - an intervention at the confluence of digital, financial, and market linkages, is designed to revive the livelihoods of 1 million street vendors across India. Supported by Sarva Mangal Family Trust (MSI), Entre-Prerana is being implemented across Maharashtra, Gujarat and Karnataka. Utilizing an engaging and innovative AI-enabled underwriting and loan disbursal platform, AIF’s Entre-Prerana is empowering street vendors to revive their livelihoods in the post-pandemic era. The Project is transforming the lives of street vendors by mainstreaming their businesses through formal registration, providing access to low-cost capital through banks, and linkages to new markets and e-commerce platforms.
Shahnaz Taplin Women’s Empowerment Fund
Technologically enabling Rural Women to grow as future entrepreneurs, AIF, in partnership with the State Rural Livelihood Mission, Government of Madhya Pradesh (MP-SRLM), aims to bring a special focus on upskilling and transitioning of Self-Help-Groups (SHGs) into Rural Women Enterprises and Start-ups. The Project will work at an ecosystem level to identify systemic gaps in enterprise creation for women, build their entrepreneurial capabilities, provide linkages with FinTechs and build market linkages to create a unique logistics network where opportunities are being sourced from all over the country and all over the globe. Establishing a state-of-the-art Center of Excellence, AIF will also empower rural women by equipping the existing SHGs with business management training on upscaling, building sustainability, financial literacy, and tech-empowered innovations. The Project, supported by Shahnaz Taplin Women’s Empowerment Fund, will be implemented under AIF’s flagship livelihoods program Market Aligned Skills Training (MAST). Ownership of a micro-enterprise will give a multitude of rural women a platform to build their social identity and financial capital. With the right infusion of tools, resources, and support, women micro-entrepreneurs will play a significant role in job creation, flipping the gender indices, and boosting the economy. The intervention aims to impact an ambitious 460,000+ SHGs in the long run.
Tasty Bite Foundation
Resurrecting the lives and livelihoods upended by the pandemic, AIF's Sustainable Integrated Rural Development Project under the Livelihoods Program is focusing on the digital empowerment of women in remote rural areas, through a comprehensive, 5-module based Computer Course. Within 3-months, covering topics ranging from introduction to computers, internet research, Microsoft Word, Excel, and Power-Point Presentations, the Project empowers candidates with no previous technical knowledge of computers, to handle complex tasks of data entry, data validation, report preparation, while also equipping them in financial literacy and communications skills. The Project, supported by the Tasty Bite Foundation and implemented under AIF’s flagship program Market Aligned Skills Training (MAST), aims to empower 500 women with dignified livelihoods over a period of 2 years.
Vandana and Vivek Sharma Family Foundation
Supported by Vandana and Vivek Sharma Family Foundation, AIF’s Livelihoods intervention aims to
Train women in the skills of pattern making using the MasterG Breaking Pattern Curriculum.
To help women learn industry-standard requirements and updated techniques.
Generate sustainable livelihood opportunities by connecting them to fashion brands and facilitating other market linkages.
Our Partners
New Association of Street Vendors of India
The National Association of Street Vendors of India (NASVI) registered as New Association of Street Vendors of India in 2003 under the Societies registration Act of 1860 in Patna, Bihar. NASVI works to bring together the street vendor organizations in India so as to collectively struggle for macro-level changes which had become imminent to support the livelihood of around 10 million vendors. NASVI works for creating a supportive environment for the street vendors to carry out their legitimate vending.
Sparsha Trust
Sparsha Trust is a non-profit voluntary organization registered in 2005 with the vision to enhance the quality and responsiveness of the educational experience for all children regardless of their home backgrounds, so that they learn with fullness and actualize their potential as active and empowered members of the contemporary world. For the year 2022-25 AIF will be doing the training and livelihoods of 2500 beneficiaries in association with SPARSHA Trust.
Meet The Team
Kamesh Sanghi
Kamesh Sanghi is Director of the Livelihoods team. He holds a M.B.A from Faculty of Management Studies, University of Delhi. Prior to joining AIF in 2019, he has worked for P.A.J Skill Development Centre.
Salil Chaturvedi
Salil has more than 23 years of experience in Education and Training Industry. He holds post Graduate Certification in Business Management from Jaipuria Institute of Management. Having worked with companies like NIIT Ltd, FIITJEE Ltd, Sikkim Manipal group, NIS Sparta Ltd, GRAS Education, Quess Corp Ltd and BYST-CII, he has rich experience in Sales, Marketing, Strategic planning, Partner Management, Channel Operations, P&L management, Industry Collaboration and Program Delivery operations. During the last 7 years, he has spearheaded various skill development projects under state, central government, CSR and NSDC linked initiatives. He has handled various Regional, National and Leadership Roles during his professional journey across verticals like IT education, Test-Prep, Management, Distance Education, Entrepreneurship and Livelihood linked Skill Development domain.
Prior to joining AIF, he was working with Bal Bharti Group as Chief Operating Officer handling government and CSR business verticals.
Anurag Shukla
Anurag Shukla is Manager-Operations (Livelihood) at AIF’s India country office in Gurgaon. He is a Post Graduate in Business management from ICFAI University. He has a total 12 years of work experience in the Education and Skill Development sector. Prior to joining AIF in June -2022, Anurag has worked with Labournet Services India Pvt Ltd as Territory Manager- North operations
Anshu Sharma
Anshu Sharma is Program Manager – Livelihoods, Northern Region at AIF's India country office in Gurgaon. She has 20+ years of work experience in the education industry - IT Education Business & Formal Higher Education. Prior to joining AIF in 2021, Anshu has worked with IMT CDL for 6.5 years and for 14 years with NIIT Ltd.
Ganesh Kumar
Ganesh Kumar joined AIF as a Project Coordinator for the Livelihoods project at AIF’s India country office in Gurgaon. He holds a postgraduate degree in Mass Communication from Guru Jambeshwar University, Hisar. He has 13 years of work experience in journalism as well as the development sector. Ganesh has knowledge of Communications, Livelihoods, and Waste Management thematic areas. Prior to joining AIF in 2021, Ganesh Kumar worked with the Development Alternatives Group, Chintan Environmental Research and Action Group, Mindwise Media Research Unit, and All India Radio in past.
Chetan Somkuwar
A seasoned professional with over 12 plus years of experience in varied sectors like Tourism, Training & Social Development with 6 years of service towards American India Foundation.
Dharmendra Kumar
Dharmendra Kumar is Post Graduate in Rural Development and a graduate in Psychology with professional experience in community health & development. Have 17 years of experience & skill in macro & micro-management of the development sector especially in health, education and livelihood-related projects from grass root level to the district & state levels.
Roman Ahmed
Roman Ahmed has joined AIF as a Project Manager- Operations for the Livelihoods project at AIF’s India country office in Gurgaon. He holds a postgraduate degree in Social work from a very prestigious Jamia Millia Islamia University, New Delhi. He has 3 years of work experience in the Skilling and Development Sector. Roman has knowledge of Skilling, Women Empowerment, Livelihoods, and Education areas.
Renu Uday
Presently working as Lead Talent Management & Partner Development at AIF livelihoods division. A seasoned professional with 20+ years of experience leading HR, IT , operations and marketing across social sectors like public healthcare, Safe Drinking Water and livelihood. My professional journey so far included executing innovative tech solutions in Telehealth, Safe drinking water, product management in IT enabled solutions for frontline healthcare workers, donor servicing and client management, project management in leading large scale government funded and CSR funded projects in the social sector.
Shelja Pradhan
Shelja Pradhan- Program Manager Livelihood and Legal at AIF'S Country office in Gurugram. Shelja is an advocate by profession and has over four years of experience as a practising Advocate. She is a double graduate with an Honors degree in Economics and an Honors degree in law. Prior to joining AIF in 2021 Shelja worked as an advocate with Delhi High Court Judges and law firms on matters pertaining to Women and child rights, human rights, labour laws etc.
Rakesh Verma
Rakesh Verma is MIS Officer – Livelihoods at AIF’s India country office in Gurgaon. He has 8+ years of work experience in Data Management, Analyzing and Monitoring. He holds a degree in Bachelor of Computer Applications. Prior to joining AIF in 2018, He has Worked With Algol Universal Trust.
Dheeraj Kumar
Dheeraj Kumar has joined AIF in Finance. He is B.com (Hons.) Graduate from BR Ambedkar College, University of Delhi. He has extensive and rich corporate experience of 6 years. He has been working in audit, accounts & finance department at various roles and levels since 2016. He specialises in his analytical skills and diligent approach towards issues. He believes in team-work and tenacious working.
Sayani Basu
Sayani has over 12 years of experience across various domains of Livelihoods,Skill Development, Education and Environment. She has extensive experience in designing, developing and managing large scale, multi-stakeholder, social impact projects in India and Bangladesh, with a keen focus on Gender. She has worked in the grassroots, as well as state and national level with leading NGOs, Start ups and Government.
Prior to joining AIF, Sayani was working as a Consultant to the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Government of India on a World Bank supported policy-reform programme, wherein she was leading several multi-stakeholder, national level initiatives and worked closely with central, state and district level institutions to deliver outcome-oriented programs.Sayani's interest lies in building sustaniable models of change which are data-driven and inclusive.
Sayani holds a degree in Economics from University of Calcutta. Outside of her work, she is passionate about travel, food and music.
Jitendra Wagh
He has completed Masters in social work from Pune University. Having more than 13 years of Work experience, out of these 10 years worked in skill development projects including government and CSR projects. Prior to joining AIF in 2022, He worked with Quess Corp Ltd under PMKK(Pradhan Mantri Kaushlya Vikas Kendra) project.
Madhav Mishra
Madhav Mishra is Center Manager cum Employment Officer at AIF’s Livelihood program running in Etah. He holds a Graduate degree in Mechanical Engineering from UPTU, Lucknow. He has 7 years of work experience in the corporate as well as Skill development sector. Prior to joining AIF in 2021, Madhav worked with Vision India Services Pvt Ltd and looked at different Govt Skilling Projects such as PMKVY, DDUGKY, etc.
Aashkar Ali
Aashkar has 7th+ years of experience in managing Monitoring and Evaluation roles with various National and International Organizations, donors, and development partners in thematic areas of women empowerment, girls’ education, adults’ literacy, Livelihood for entrepreneurs, Public health and waste management. Aashkar is a trained social Managing, Monitoring and Evaluation expert with a double Master's degree MBA, (Finance) and MA, (Sociology). Over the years, he has developed the magic TLM for 1st to 5th classes to empower the program, teams to add new strategies and build a stronger impact. Previously, he has worked with IIMPACT, Development Alternatives, TARA Livelihood Academy, and International Union for Yoga studies and welfare (IUYSW), Mount Valley Development Association, and UNEP program.
Anil Saini
Anil Saini is Center Manager cum Employment Officer at AIF’s Livelihood Program under HUL Project at Sumerpur Uttar Pradesh. He holds MBA in Rural Management & IT Management and BCA Computer Science from IGNOU University. Prior to joining AIF in 2021, He has 18 Yrs of Experience in the Employment linked Skill Development Training & Educations Sector. Worked with NGOs/ Banks/ CSR/ University/ Colleges and under the Government Projects. He has worked with CIPET (Central Institute of Plastic Engineering Technology) as A Quality Head under the DDU-GKY Project from 2018
Media
News And Updates
MAR 23, 2022
Today, I am earning and helping my family financially.
Zahid Abbas is a Geriatric Care Aide with a hospital in Noida, caring for patients who were stranded with no care during the virulent pandemic. He got a new lease of life after joining AIF’s Market Aligned Skills Training’s (MAST) Geriatric Care program. Zahid, like millions of youths from small rural and peri-urban towns barely managed to complete his secondary education with no steer of what the future held for him.
AUG 26, 2020
22 women of MAST produced and distributed 35,000 masks and 2,710 health and hygiene kits.
The Shahnaz Taplin Women Empowerment Fund supports AIF’s livelihood project in Tehri Garhwal, Uttarakhand. It is one of the districts reporting highest numbers of COVID-19 cases in the state, the first one being reported in May 2020.
AUG 25, 2020
Migrant workers’ woes upon homecoming.
Migrant workers across India have been facing a multitude of hardships during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. As the nation went under lockdown imposed by the government to curb the spread of infection, factories and workplaces had to shut down abruptly across the country.
Awards and Recognition
Livelihood Project - 'Entre-Prerana' won TheCSRUniverse Social Impact Awards 2022 in the Livelihood Category. 'Entre-Prerana' - intervention at the confluence of digital, financial, and market linkages to revive the livelihoods of 1 million street vendors, as key interventions, creating significant social impact in the society. Utilizing an engaging and innovative AI-enabled underwriting and loan disbursal platform, Entre-Prerana is empowering street vendors to revive their livelihoods in the post-pandemic era. The project has impacted close to 100,000 street vendors across 25 cities of the country.
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