Building Women Entrepreneurs. Transforming Communities.
At the Centre for Development Orientation and Training (CDOT), women empowerment is not viewed merely as a social objective—it is a pathway to sustainable development. CDOT believes that when women are equipped with knowledge, skills, and opportunities, they become powerful entrepreneurs and catalysts for change within their families and communities.
Over the last 25 years, CDOT has consistently invested in creating women-led livelihood models that promote economic independence, strengthen community systems, and contribute to inclusive growth. Through interventions in financial inclusion, community health, skill development, and social security, CDOT is nurturing a growing ecosystem of women entrepreneurs across rural India.
Women Entrepreneurs in Financial Inclusion
Financial inclusion has emerged as one of the strongest platforms for women’s entrepreneurship within CDOT’s network. By providing training, digital tools, and continuous support, CDOT has enabled women to establish themselves as Business Correspondent (BC) Agents and become providers of essential banking services at the last mile.
Today, more than 400 women BC Agents are actively working across CDOT’s network, delivering doorstep banking and financial services to underserved communities. These women entrepreneurs facilitate cash transactions, account opening, social security enrolments, insurance services, and digital financial literacy, thereby improving access to formal financial systems while generating sustainable livelihoods for themselves.
Collectively, the women BC Agents facilitate average transactions worth over ₹150 crores monthly and have earnings ranging from ₹15K to ₹20K per month, demonstrating the growing impact of women-led financial services.
Impact Highlights
- Last-mile banking access for underserved communities
- Sustainable livelihood opportunities for rural women
- Increased financial literacy and digital inclusion
Women Entrepreneurs in Community Health
Recognising the critical need for accessible healthcare in rural areas, CDOT established a women-centric Community Health Facilitator (CHF) model that places women at the centre of community health systems. Through this initiative, women from villages are trained as trusted health facilitators and equipped to provide preventive healthcare awareness, teleconsultation support, basic health screening, and referrals within their own communities.
Beyond healthcare delivery, the programme has created a new generation of women entrepreneurs. Community Health Facilitators earn livelihoods through health-related services, doorstep delivery of health products, insurance enrolments, health camps, and other community-based interventions. The programme has successfully demonstrated that women can simultaneously become health leaders, social change agents, and entrepreneurs.
CDOT has trained and deployed 600+ women Community Health Facilitators across Bihar and Jharkhand, reaching thousands of households with preventive healthcare and community-based services. These women have played a vital role in strengthening health awareness and improving access to quality healthcare at the grassroots level.
Community Health Impact
- Doorstep health education and awareness
- Teleconsultation and basic health screening support
- Health insurance and social protection enrolments
- Promotion of preventive healthcare practices
- Women-led community health enterprises
Creating an Ecosystem of Women-Led Development
CDOT’s approach goes beyond training women—it focuses on creating long-term opportunities that enable them to become economically independent, socially respected, and professionally empowered.
Whether as Business Correspondents, Community Health Facilitators, or community leaders, women associated with CDOT are building resilient livelihoods while contributing to stronger financial and health systems within their communities.
By investing in women entrepreneurs, CDOT is fostering inclusive development and creating a future where women are not merely beneficiaries of change, but the leaders driving it.
Empowered Women. Sustainable Livelihoods. Stronger Communities.
