The SHE Hosts project is an effort to tackle challenges around lack of opportunities for women, low literacy levels, limited options of livelihood and lack of awareness about local attractions as one moves away from the popular tourist destinations in India. During the course of this three-month project, Digital Empowerment Foundation will identify and train 15,000 women in relevant digital skills and hospitality services to transform them into entrepreneurs and integrate with sustainable tourism industry in the rural belt of India.
Under this initiative, so far 3000 women from rural, remote locations of India have actively been provided door-to-door training and information. Their village folks were educated on how to start a homestay business from their own houses and earn livelihood out of it.
From tourism point of view, women from selected locations in Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh have been provided with preliminary awareness. Further, DEF has approached local NGOs of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, and Rajasthan to expand the tourism possibilities in the regions for development of rural tourism ecosystems via available digital tools.
We are seeking registration from local NGOs to support this initiative to promote the rural tourism and empower especially the women for a sustainable living. Interested NGOs can email with details of potential tourism locations at engonetwork@defindia.net.
