The Network of Entrepreneurship and Economic Development (NEED) brings together underprivileged communities with teams of Social Entrepreneurs in order to maximize human resource potential and create positive change in their socio-economic and political environment. This is achieved through:

• Mainstreaming Gender Issues

• Micro-Enterprise and Entrepreneurial Skills Development

• Career driven focused Vocational Skill Training and upgradation.  

• Pro-poor driven advocacy for Intellectual Property Right (IPR) towards registering the indigenous products through Geographical Indicators (GI) and economics governance.  

• Women’s and Children’s Health, including Water and Sanitation

• Rural Asset Management, including Natural Resources

• Capacity Building Development in Locally Specific Resource Groups

• Networking Towards Grassroots Activism and Global Change

• Service driven Micro-Finance supports to groups

Shakti is a unique collection of products, handcrafted by women from NEED producer groups. Traditional techniques and natural materials are blended with new design ideas to create beautiful, functional and eco-friendly products - whilst helping to generate sustainable livelihoods in one of the world’s poorest regions. NEED is a member of the International Federation for Alternative Trade (IFAT), the Fair Trade Federation US and the Indian Fair Trade Forum (IFTF).