Mukti Created Common Facility Center for MCDF Members

Mukti has created a common facility center at Kankandighi for the MCDF (Mukti Community Development Fund) members to support them by supplying raw materials for their products. Mukti, in association with ”SIDBI” (Small Industrial bank of India), has initiated “SWAS” (Swavalamban Accelerator in Sundarban) as the pilot project in December 2021 to support the MCDF members to become successful entrepreneurs through various training. After the end of the project, there are now about 1,000 women entrepreneurs who have started or are about to start businesses on their own or in groups. Mukti aims to support these entrepreneurs and their enterprises through the common facility center to start up or expand their businesses.

They are facing various challenges while producing the products. Because of the unavailability of the raw material in the rural area, they have to travel to Kolkata to purchase the item. Sometimes they are unable to sell their products in the local market due to a lack of demand or customers. Mukti also aims to help them in marketing through this store. Mukti will try to market their products that they are unable to sell.

Mukti is planning to develop a business unit through this center from where with a very marginal profit the trainers of 24 MCDF branches can purchase raw materials for making saris, petticoats, blouses, school bags, soft toys, food processing items and so on. The materials will be sold by adding the wholesale price and delivery charge. Trainers will sell those materials to their respective branches (as per requirement) and they will send the sales proceeds to the facility center.

Various types of chemicals, essences, food colors, spice powders, buckets, woks, weighing machines, mixture grinders, tubs, spoons, jars etc for food processing and measurement tape, scissors, gum, thread cutter, pen, far, cotton for soft toys making can be purchased from the store.

Mukti has appointed 2 staff from 5th September 2022 to operate the center.  One will look after the store and the other will help in marketing the products. The center is open from 10 am to 5 pm and 6 days a week (Sunday closed).