MSME Development >> IFC-ICECD Lighting Asia

IFC (World Bank Group) South Asia Cross Cutting Advisory services has a focus in MSME development through (a) Training Needs Assessment (TNA), (b) Content customization and development, (c) Training of Trainers, (d) Business skills training delivery to their Associates and client staff. Within this broad spectrum IFC has promoted the Lighting Asia/ India program. The objective is to promote the value and presence of modern off‐grid lighting amongst the 400 million off‐grid population in rural India.

Hence, IFC aimed to address this issue by supporting the growth of solar lighting manufacturers as well as other stakeholders like distributors (Associates) of clean energy products. This support entails strengthening the supply chain through Targeted interventions with the various stakeholders.

The assignments focused on developing Women Entrepreneurs of Dharma Life and Frontier Markets, Associate clients of IFC. The aim was to develop this large women’s group by supporting the growth of solar lighting manufacturers as well as other stakeholders like distributors of clean energy products.

ICECD assessed the training needs of the women and designed a need based special training manuals for the pilot training programme. ICECD also designed scientific tools for participants’ selection and a special TOT (Training of Trainers) of Frontier Market resource team at Ahmedabad. The training was demonstrated for the benefit of the to the clients’ teams in Bihar and Rajasthan who later replicated the same and our clients have been able to reach-out to more than 15,000 women for bettering their livelihood.