Anudip Foundation for Social Welfare

In early 2005, Actionaid, in collaboration with Stanford University, carried out an ethnographic study in the Ganges Delta region south of Kolkata, which showed that economies of desperately poor and marginalized people can be dramatically impacted by increase of local employment. Subsequently, a group of dedicated social entrepreneurs set up Anudip Foundation to address critical livelihood needs of people of rural India through information technology.

Anudip began establishing training centers with three locations in the Sundarbans region of eastern India. These first centers were learning prototypes launched in partnership with community NGOs. They allowed the development of local learning techniques, course content, sustainability of operations, and ease of replication.

MAST Program

Anudip follows a Market-Aligned Skills Training (MAST) program that involves local employers in creating course curricula out of their job-skill needs. This training methodology equips students with skills forsecuring jobs in their communities. Since its inception Anudip has trained over 5,000 rural youth with a placement ratio of 70% and improving.

MAST is a proven training methodology of the American India Foundation (AIF) that is implemented by leading skill development organizations across India. Anudip optimizes AIF's curriculum to execute on our knowledge economy focused mission for rural youth and women

DREAM ( Developing Rural Entrepreneurs Through Adoption and Mentoring) Program

• Assists its MAST graduates who are interested in starting group-based micro-enterprises
• Provides financial assistance with equipment on lease (computers, printers, cameras, etc.) and startup costs through the 'Adopt-an-Entrepreneur' fund.
• Mentors entrepreneurs during business incubation phase with guidance in planning, marketing and budgeting
• Monitors the business's progress and provides on-going support to help it grow