Our Story

Access Livelihoods, is a social enterprise, established in 2005, operating across 26 Indian States. We have offered one or other services for enabling sustainable livelihoods for over 1 million Women and Youth, while our direct interventions have significantly improved the quality of life of more than 75,000 women. Recognized by NITI Aayog and multiple Government of India Ministries, we have received several accolades for our work offering entrepreneurial and employment opportunities for the women and youth from marginalized communities in India. Over two decades, AL created and tested five livelihood models and scaled them across 26 states. In 2016, we launched TII to cultivate entrepreneurial leaders. In 2025, TII evolved into RLI—a movement reimagining livelihoods with women at the core.

Vision

Every woman in India enjoys dignified and decent livelihoods

Mission

To nurture a movement of youth committed to transforming women’s livelihoods through hands-on learning, enterprise design, and deep community partnership.

Values

  • Learn, Serve & Earn

  • Praxis (Reflection + Action)

  • Equity & Dignity

  • Sustainability & Resilience

  • Women’s Agency First

Legacy

Legacy & Scale

What began in 2005 with a modest ₹5,000 seed fund has grown into a nationwide movement restoring dignity and prosperity for women.

Over the past 20 years, Access Livelihoods has become a trusted partner in enabling women-led enterprises and building sustainable livelihood ecosystems.

Our Impact at a Glance

  • Presence across 26 states of India
  • More than 2.5 million women supported,including 75,000 collectivized into 74 Producer Companies
  • Over ₹285 crore mobilized through grants, loans, equity, and government programs
  • Weaving livelihoods scaled from 10 women in 2005 to 2,000 in 2025, with production increasing from 1,464 to over 64,600 meters
  • The Digital Sakhi program trained women leaders who reached 1.8 million rural people with digital and financial literacy
  • Introduced innovations such as Mini MBA, Handmade MBA, traceability systems, and Creyo — a producer-to-consumer brand platform
  • Supported by a network of 350+ partners,including government institutions, financial bodies, and civil society organizations
Creyo
Legacy

Beyond Numbers​

Our greatest achievement lies not only in scale but in the restoration of dignity, trust, and leadership among rural women. From farmers and artisans to dairy entrepreneurs and digital leaders, women are no longer viewed as passive beneficiaries — they are now equal economic actors and community leaders, shaping enterprises, influencing policies, and building resilient futures.

Awards & Recognition

  • Recognized by NITI Aayog and Government of India Ministries
  • 74 women-led Farmer Producer Companies, achieving ₹450+ million in collective business
  • National awards for enterprise innovation, women’s leadership, and rural development
  • Partnerships with NDDB, NABARD, Tata Trusts, SIDBI, EU-WHH, and State Missions
  • Pioneered agroecology and integrated livelihood models, raising women’s incomes by 15–20%
  • Celebrated for enabling women to become shareholders and entrepreneurs — not just workers

Honest Reflection: The journey from TII to RLI has taught us that sustainable livelihoods is a vast, complex challenge. Through our experience, we’ve seen that women are among the most vulnerable, with few opportunities available to them. We are now committing to take this head-on — not with rhetoric, but with learning, humility, and structural design.

rli

Our Reach & Communities

92 per cent of India's workforce (accounting for 63% of India's GDP) is in the unorganised segment. The entire farm sector falls under the informal category; only one-fifth of non-farm workers are in the organised segment. These communities receive an inadequate share of the value they help create.

Access Livelihoods focuses on the livelihoods of 10 large communities to catalyze enterprise creation and employment generation, setting in process their self-reliant evolution. We intentionally orient our work toward 10 priority communities where exclusion is acute:

Our Communities list: Small & Marginal Farmers, Artisans & Weavers, Livestock holders & Fisherfolk, Forest Produce Gatherers, Wage Labour, including Migrant Labour, Urban Marginalized, Micro and Small Entrepreneurs, Disaster Prone Communities, Internally Displaced Communities, Other Vulnerable Communities

Working with these women — not for them — is our strategic choice and priority.

Contribution of these 10 communities in India’s economy: 92% of the total workforce, 63% of GDP

Milestones Timeline

2005–2010: Seeding the Vision

  • Founded in 2005 with a ₹5,000 seed fund.
  • First weaving cluster with 10 women; pilots in dairy and collective marketing.
  • Initial grants and govt linkages tested the community enterprise model

2010–2015: Collective Enterprises Take Root

  • Early Producer Companies formed across Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Odisha.
  • Weaving expanded from 10 to 300+ women with structured fabric production.
  • Dairy initiatives gave women regular income streams.
  • Partnerships with development agencies and early leadership training programs launched.

2015–2020: Scaling with Innovation

  • Network grew to 40+ Producer Companies nationwide.
  • TII Fellowship launched 100+ youth leaders engaged.
  • Introduced Mini MBA & Handmade MBA for grassroots entrepreneurs.
  • Digital Sakhi program spread financial literacy to lakhs of rural households.
  • Piloted traceability systems; producer groups began accessing loans and equity.

2020–2025: Thriving Ecosystem

  • Expanded to 74 Producer Companies in 26 states, supporting 2.5 million women.
  • Mobilized ₹285 crore through grants, loans, equity, and govt programs.
  • Weaving scaled to 2,000 women fabric output rose from 1,464 to 64,600 meters.
  • Digital Sakhi trained women leaders reaching 1.8 million rural people.
  • Creyo brand launched for direct producer-to-consumer access.
  • Forged 350+ partnerships with govt, corporates, and civil society.

2025 and Beyond: Reimagine Livelihoods for India

  • Transition from TII → RLI (Reimagine Livelihoods for India).
  • Two flagship pathways: Sprouts (13 months) & Saplings (24 months).
  • 20-year celebration in 2025 marks resilience and collaboration.
  • Renewed focus on scaling dignified livelihoods with integrity, inclusion, and sustainability.

Leadership

The team behind the Transforming India Initiative, comes from diverse backgrounds and experiences, with a common desire to work for the marginalized, uniting them. The initiative has been built with the collective experience of all these senior professionals.

G V Krishnagopal
CEO - Access Livelihoods Group
G V Sarat Kumar
CEO - Access Livelihoods Foundation
Vijaya Switha
CEO – Access Livelihoods Services
Sunil Bhat
CEO- Access Livelihoods Marketing Service

Advisory board

The advisory board of Access Livelihoods brings together people from different spheres of the enterprise ecosystem.
The advisory board is charged with the responsibility of ensuring the programme is relevant, robust and true to its vision.

Sumita Ghose
Rangsutra
Manoj Pavithran
Swadharma
Vivek Sharma
Gandhi Fellowship
KV Raju
Independent Consultant
C Shambu Prasad
Institute of Rural Manangement Anand
Pranay Gupta
91 springboard