Skilled Samaritan Foundation
Building skilled communities. Creating sustainable livelihoods.
Founded on 14 March 2012
The Skilled Samaritan Foundation operates as a developmental organization focused on livelihood generation. It empowers rural/urban/migrated communities, particularly women, by forming Self-Help Groups (SHGs) and providing skill development and vocational trainings.
The Backbone of Sirohi
The Skilled Samaritan Foundation exists to provide steady income opportunities to women and girls from marginalized communities across India—women who don't have formal education but possess skills passed down through generations. Through our marketing arm, Sirohi, we bridge the gap between rural artisans and urban markets to ensure sustainable income.
SSF trains → Sirohi provides market linkage
Mission
To empower marginalized communities, especially rural women, by providing holistic skill development and sustainable livelihood opportunities. We are committed to preserving traditional craftsmanship, fostering self-reliance through Self-Help Groups, and creating direct market linkages. Our goal is to build a society where every individual has the dignity of sustainable income and economic independence.
Vision
To create a self-reliant and equitable India where every rural artisan and woman has the power to shape their own economic destiny. We envision a thriving ecosystem that bridges traditional skills with modern markets, fostering sustainable enterprises, preserving cultural heritage, and building communities where dignity, opportunity, and prosperity are accessible to all.
The Difference We Have Made
How we work
They don't need us to teach them to weave. They already know how. What we provide is tech-based design support, market access, and the infrastructure to turn generational skills into sustainable livelihoods.
Step 1 – Skill Development
Hands on training (online + offline)
Step 2 – Design & Product Development
Improving quality + modern relevance
Step 3 – Market Linkage
Through Sirohi's enterprise model
Skill Lab Initiative
The Skill Lab is India's first tech-based design and vocational training program. It empowers women from disadvantaged communities by blending their existing craft skills with global design input and digital tools. The program functions by embedding designers within craft clusters to equip women with the skills and market linkages needed to become micro-entrepreneurs.
The vision is to create a world where women from low-income backgrounds can earn a dignified, sustained income through their craft, regardless of their formal education. The foundation aims to scale this model to impact 10,000 lives by 2026, enabling financial independence and breaking down cultural and economic barriers.
The Product Designer will bridge the gap between traditional craftsmanship and contemporary market trends by developing market-ready product lines (like home décor or accessories). They will create standardized, easy-to-follow design templates and visual toolkits tailored for low-literacy learners, ensuring the women produce items that have high perceived value and strong sales potential in urban markets.
The Programme Manager will serve as the strategic backbone, ensuring the grant is utilized effectively by overseeing end-to-end implementation, from stakeholder coordination to budget adherence. They will establish strong linkages with local communities, vocational experts, and potential buyers, ensuring the training ecosystem runs smoothly and the initiative stays aligned with its goal of creating sustainable income opportunities.
This custom app will provide real-time data on trainee progress, skill acquisition, and attendance, allowing the team to quickly identify and support women who are falling behind. It will track the direct impact of the grant by measuring income generation post-training and generating transparent reports for donors, proving the effectiveness of this first-of-its-kind tech-based program in India.
This compressed, intensive cycle will allow for rapid prototyping and iteration of both training modules and product designs based on immediate feedback. It ensures quick turnaround times from learning to earning, enabling multiple batches of women to complete training and start generating income within a single grant period, maximizing the program's reach and sustainability.
The global goals we're advancing
Sirohi and the Skilled Samaritan Foundation align with the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals—not as a branding exercise, but as a framework for the systemic change we're building.
Eligibility Criteria (For Craft Entrepreneurs)
- Registered enterprise (for-profit or non-profit)
- 6 months – 3 years in operation
- Working with minimum 25–100 artisans
- Commitment to 3-month sampling timeline
- Focus: Home décor & gifting
Ongoing Projects
They don't need us to teach them to weave. They already know how. What we provide is tech-based design support, market access, and the infrastructure to turn generational skills into sustainable livelihoods.
Stories from the Field
That became the rule. Because the women of Muzaffarnagar didn't need rescuing, they needed revenue. They didn't need sympathy, they needed systems. They needed fair wages, creative freedom.
That became the rule. Because the women of Muzaffarnagar didn't need rescuing, they needed revenue. They didn't need sympathy, they needed systems.
Call for Collaborations
For Designers
If you’re someone who believes design can create impact, we’d love to collaborate.
Work with our artisan communities to co-create products that are thoughtful, functional, and rooted in sustainability. Together, we can turn ideas into livelihoods.
For Craft Clusters
Are you a group of artisans or a craft cluster looking for sustainable income opportunities?
We partner with communities to provide design support, market access, and long-term livelihood opportunities while preserving the beauty of handmade craft.
How can we help you today?
Choose the kind of query you have.
Sales & B2B
sales.support@skilledsamaritan.com
+918272067924 | +91 8272067923
Wholesale & international queries
+91 93104 33994