Empowering Communities, Transforming Lives: The Promise of Community-Based Training for Women Entrepreneurs
At Street Business School (SBS), we are dedicated to opening pathways for economic independence for the ultra-poor, particularly in remote communities and for women with limited access to technology, finance, or training.
We have translated our highly impactful entrepreneurship curriculum into a model that can be delivered by a Community-Based Trainer (CBT). With this innovation, we’re transforming our entrepreneurship training, by putting the power and agency to create change directly in the hands of local people who live and work within these communities. This approach fosters a cycle of community ownership and empowerment, engaging community members to lead and deliver SBS’s powerful entrepreneurship curriculum. The results have been remarkable: within just three months, CBT-trained women have more than doubled their incomes.
By recruiting and training people within the community to serve as SBS trainers, we’re fostering localized support and ownership, which makes this initiative especially effective and sustainable. It’s a model we believe can redefine access to economic opportunity for ultra-poor women, and it highlights the impact of investing in people’s resilience, agency, and potential.
The Power of Community Ownership in Poverty Alleviation
Research has shown that community-owned programs often lead to greater long-term success because they are more sustainable and better tailored to local needs. When people from the same communities facilitate our training sessions, they bring an innate understanding of the unique challenges, customs, and opportunities within those communities. Although the curriculum remains standardized, having local trainers with deep knowledge of their community allows for a delivery approach that truly resonates and engages participants.
Furthermore, when community members lead the training, it creates a sense of collective responsibility and shared success. The impact isn’t just on individual incomes but on community-wide resilience. Studies have consistently highlighted that community ownership in poverty alleviation programs is associated with higher levels of trust and engagement, leading to outcomes that are sustainable and scalable. This approach not only makes the program cost-effective but also builds local capacity, leaving communities more self-reliant and resourceful. Our CBTs remain coaches to the cohort of women they trained, long after the program ends.
Doubling Incomes and Building Resilience: The Real Impact of CBT
Perhaps the most compelling measure of CBT’s success is the income increase our participants are seeing. In just three months, women trained by CBTs have more than doubled their incomes. These results speak volumes about the impact of accessible, community-driven training. By fostering entrepreneurship within communities, we’re offering a sustainable pathway out of poverty for women irrespective of location, education level, or access to technology and finance.
Income growth is just one aspect of the broader impact. CBT participants also gain resilience—both personal and economic. They become better equipped to navigate the ups and downs of life, capable of reinvesting in their businesses and facing setbacks with confidence. And, in doing so, they inspire others in their community. It’s a powerful ripple effect: when one woman succeeds, others believe that they can too. In a region where economic opportunities are scarce, this sense of possibility is transformative.
Restoring Agency: A Cornerstone of Our Approach
A vital component of our CBT model is the focus on agency—giving people the ability to make choices about their future. Agency is at the heart of empowerment, yet many traditional poverty alleviation models overlook it, offering prescriptive solutions without considering the unique strengths, knowledge, and preferences of the people they aim to help.
By equipping local individuals as trainers and leaders, we ensure that the community is not simply a passive recipient of aid but an active agent in the journey out of poverty. This shift restores agency to those who have long been deprived of it, helping them to see themselves as entrepreneurs, leaders, and decision-makers capable of creating a better future for themselves and their families.
Setting a New Standard for Sustainable, Community-Driven Impact
At SBS, we see the CBT model as a cornerstone in redefining the standard for poverty alleviation programs. Our focus on community ownership, economic resilience, and agency is proving to be an effective formula, not only for income generation but for creating lasting change that reverberates throughout entire communities.
Our commitment to innovation doesn’t stop here. CBT is just one of the many ways SBS is seeking to enhance impact while minimizing costs. As we continue to learn, adapt, and refine our approach, we’re excited to share our insights and help shape a future where ultra-poor women around the world have access to the resources, training, and opportunities they need to thrive.
We believe that when women become leaders in their communities, they create an ecosystem of growth, mutual support, and transformation. We’re proud to be at the forefront of this movement, not only as a training organization but as a partner to those ready to change their lives through entrepreneurship.
Thank you for standing with us as we work to break down the barriers that hold people back. Together, we are creating a future where poverty no longer determines potential, and every woman has the chance to become the entrepreneur of her own life.
Deepti Mathew, CEO – Street Business School
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