Strengthen self-awareness by recognizing strengths, values, beliefs, and areas for personal growth.
Prakarsha Academy · Leadership Development
Samvardhini — Nurturing Women Who Lead
A leadership development journey for grassroots women professionals in the social sector—designed to bridge a critical leadership gap, one cohort at a time.
6Months
8Full days
1Personal IDP
Program overview
Leadership that grows from the ground up.
From self-discovery to people management, every stage moves learning into practice.
Samvardhini is a structured leadership development program conceptualized and delivered by Prakarsha Academy to empower grassroots women professionals serving in Karnataka's social sector.
Designed as a six-month developmental journey, the program combines eight full days of immersive classroom learning with workplace-based application, ensuring that every concept learned is translated into meaningful action within participants' organizations and communities.
The curriculum takes participants through a transformative journey of self-discovery, self-management, project management, and people management. Along the way, they deepen their self-awareness, strengthen essential leadership competencies, enhance their ability to lead people and initiatives, and develop greater confidence in navigating professional and personal challenges.
A distinctive feature of Samvardhini is its emphasis on intentional growth. Each participant concludes the program with a personalized Individual Development Plan (IDP)—a practical roadmap that identifies leadership goals, development priorities, and concrete actions for sustained growth beyond the program.
Why it matters
Closing a leadership gap the social sector cannot afford.
Women form the backbone of India's social development sector, driving change at the grassroots and building trusted relationships in communities. Yet they remain significantly underrepresented in positions of leadership and decision-making.
187,395
Registered NGOs in India
The majority continue to be led by men.
NGO Darpan, October 2023
25%
Women in leadership
Only one in four leadership positions in Indian nonprofits is held by a woman.
Dasra & Bain & Company, 2022
80%+
Demand for leadership development
Social sector professionals consider leadership capacity-building essential.
Sector research
30%
Access to mentorship
Only about 30% of women in the sector have access to structured mentoring.
WinD, 2021
Contributing directly to Sustainable Development Goal 5: Gender Equality.
Program objectives
Building leaders who lead with purpose.
01
02
Develop essential leadership competencies including effective communication, emotional intelligence, decision-making, and people management.
03
Gain a deeper understanding of organizational dynamics and the broader social development ecosystem.
04
Apply practical approaches to managing time, energy, priorities, and work-life integration.
05
Create a personalized Individual Development Plan (IDP) to guide continued leadership journey.
06
Build a strong network of women changemakers fostering collaboration, peer learning, and mutual support.
07
Engage organizational leaders as active partners in nurturing and sustaining participants' growth.
The approach
Learning that extends beyond the classroom.
Pillar 01
Classroom Learning
Interactive, facilitator-led sessions using participatory methods, case discussions, simulations, and experiential activities.
Eight immersive classroom days anchor the six-month journey.
Cohort highlight
28Women Professionals
16Nonprofit Organizations
6-MonthJourney
A cohort united by purpose, grounded in meaningful reflection, mutual learning, and lasting collaboration.
Outcomes & testimonials
Beyond the certificate—a journey of lasting transformation.
“Participating in the Samvardhini workshop significantly strengthened my capability to formulate an effective CSR proposal — the proposal has since received official acceptance, and a site visit is now scheduled. The insights on Theory of Change, Terms of Reference, and clear problem statements have reshaped how I operate at the trustee level.”
The journey continues
Every participant leaves with a plan for the leader she is becoming.
The Individual Development Plan connects reflection, capability, and action—keeping leadership growth alive long after the classroom journey ends.