Inclusive
Women
Empowerment

Stella Maris Institute of Development Studies

On a Mission ...

SMIDS was founded in 1997 with a vision to empower the disadvantaged women in the society and establish a Society based on Justice, Peace and Sustainable Development.

We work extensively with rural, coastal and tribal women by training and helping them form Self-Help Groups (SHGs), Joint Liability Groups (JLGs), and Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs). We promote entrepreneurship among poor women in rural areas for income generation in an eco-friendly and carbon-neutral way.

Our efforts have helped in improving their living standards of countless families. Till date, SMIDS has formed more than 8000 SHGs, 1200 JLGs, 3 FPOs and numerous Federations at the village level.

7,00,000 women & 2 million+ lives

So far our works have directly be need more than 7,00,000 people (mostly women) and touched the lives of more than 2 million poor and marginalized people.

Touching Lives ...

As a result of the various interventions by SMIDS,
  • Around 840 women have started their own Facebook page to promote their products and generate leads.
  • Nearly 300 women started Instagram pages to promote their businesses.
  • More than 1,200 women started Scan & Pay (UPI Payment) for their micro-businesses.
  • About 1,620 women from North Kundal Kanniyakumari trained by SMIDS came together and setup an e-commerce website www.malaremart.com.
  • Recently, around 600+ women entrepreneurs came together to form a Cluster called Native Women’s Food Products Foundation. www.nawfp.org.

Five women have started a shop similar to e-Sevai Maiyam (https://www.tnesevai.tn.gov.in). tese shops provide facilities for the general public to access government services online, for example, applying for Adhaarcard, PAN Card, Passport, etc. People
can also pay their utility bills at this shop and make deposits towards their Provident Fund (PF). The women also do online
ticketing.

Vaigah Farmer Producer Company was formed by 1,750 women farmers trained by SMIDS. they also setup an e-commerce site
www.organiceastern.com.

Evidence shows that our approach successfully drives digital inclusion of the
under-served population, especially women in rural areas. Besides our strong focus on promoting women
entrepreneurs, we also reach out to vulnerable children, abandoned women and senior citizens, children with
special needs, people with disability, people with mental health issues, rehabilitation of leprosy and HIV affected
people, cancer patients and other terminally ill patients

Awards &
Recognition

2022 – State Green Award by the Government of Tamil Nadu and the World Bank for promoting and planting of different crops in the 700 acres of barren land of Tirunelveli District. 2022 – Peace Award from United Religious Initiative (URI), USA

???? – Best Enterprises Awarded by EDII

2019 – National Excellence in Entrepreneurial Development by EDII 2016 – Best practices Award from Assisi Aid Australia

2011 – Best Non-Profit Organisation – Assisi Aid Australia 2015

2014 – Hellan Kellar Award – Role Model Organisation from
National Centre for Promotion of Employment for Disabled People (NCPEDP)

2011 – Social development Award -Distinguished service for the Nation From Health and Education Development Association year

In 2024, SMIDS was granted the special consultative status with the United Nations’ Economic and
Social Council (ECOSOC) which is the main UN body for coordinating economic, social, and
environmental work.