Vikalp (Women’s Group)

Gujarat

Vikalp (Women’s Group)

Gujarat

MISSION

Vikalp aims to enhance the employability and entrepreneurial skills of queer individuals by providing skill development support and market linkages with employers and access to loans for individuals seeking out on their entrepreneurial journeys. Driving, English language skills (speaking), chef, waiter training, shopkeeper (own), beauty parlour (own), computer training, and showroom salespersons are the tentative categories.

Vikalp aims to enhance the employability and entrepreneurial skills of queer individuals by providing skill development support and market linkages with employers and access to loans for individuals seeking out on their entrepreneurial journeys. Driving, English language skills (speaking), chef, waiter training, shopkeeper (own), beauty parlour (own), computer training, and showroom salespersons are the tentative categories.

Vikalp aims to enhance the employability and entrepreneurial skills of queer individuals by providing skill development support and market linkages with employers and access to loans for individuals seeking out on their entrepreneurial journeys. Driving, English language skills (speaking), chef, waiter training, shopkeeper (own), beauty parlour (own), computer training, and showroom salespersons are the tentative categories.

ABOUT THE ORG

Founded in 1996, Vikalp is an organisation that advocates for the rights of LGBTQIA+ communities. They work closely with rural tribal communities in the region through access to livelihood opportunities, leadership training, and building community role models. 

Vikalp also works with marginalised women and sexual minorities by providing holistic response mechanisms for cases of domestic violence and supporting community-led justice platforms like Nari Adalats. They foster sustainable change through community-driven models.

Moments
of Pride

A reflection of the impact of Vikalp (Women’s Group)'s work in Gujarat

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Were identified from the community for upskilling their skills

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were selected for their skilling and livelihood program, learning driving, entrepreneurship, English speaking, share market investment, Tally and basic accounting, and beautician.

TESTIMONIAL

"Sonal is a profession as a singer, inevitably involves late evenings sometimes well into late night specially during the Navratri days of ‘Garba’ Having learnt to drive, she along with her partner is planning to buy a car.  This year also she drove her neighbour’s car for Garba evenings.  

Another transman having learnt to drive four wheeler now drives his boss’s car. This enables him to practise but also earn more.”

Sonal, a long-time partner of transmasculine person based in Ahmedabad, has learnt to drive a four-wheeler.

JOIN THE MOVEMENT

JOIN THE MOVEMENT

JOIN THE MOVEMENT

FAQs

If you still don’t find what you’re looking for, feel free to reach out to us.

How can I donate to Pride Fund India?

We are inviting funders - philanthropists, family foundations, CSR, domestic and international foundations to commit and build an inclusive future for India’s queer community. We encourage funders to support our NGO partners located across India for their program and their administrative expenses via programmatic and unrestricted funds. We encourage our funders to support multiyear funding to deepen impact on the ground. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funders can collaborate with The Pride Fund to: - Access a curated, vetted portfolio of NGOs working on queer inclusion. - Simplify due diligence and reduce compliance and reputational risks through pooled funding. - Showcase impact on national and international platforms through Pride Fund’s partner networks. - Participate in cross-learning and co-funding opportunities with other inclusive corporates.

Are there ways to support Pride Fund India beyond financial contributions?

Yes, we are always on the lookout for volunteers from design, social media, and fundraising for our NGO partners.

What is the grant cycle and selection process?

In the launch year of 2025, we followed a participatory grant-making approach via a jury of founding patrons, anchor partners, and LGBTQIA+ practitioners. They reviewed the proposals collected through RFPs and selected grantees for post-deliberation. We will continue to take advice from this panel as we empanel more organisations. If you want to introduce your organisation to the Pride Fund India, please write to info@pridefundindia.org

Do you support early-stage organisations or only established ones?

We support organisations that are LGBTQIA+ focused, underfunded (small/grassroot/ mid-sized NGOs), and have been operational for at least three years.

FAQs

If you still don’t find what you’re looking for, feel free to reach out to us.

How can I donate to Pride Fund India?

We are inviting funders - philanthropists, family foundations, CSR, domestic and international foundations to commit and build an inclusive future for India’s queer community. We encourage funders to support our NGO partners located across India for their program and their administrative expenses via programmatic and unrestricted funds. We encourage our funders to support multiyear funding to deepen impact on the ground. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funders can collaborate with The Pride Fund to: - Access a curated, vetted portfolio of NGOs working on queer inclusion. - Simplify due diligence and reduce compliance and reputational risks through pooled funding. - Showcase impact on national and international platforms through Pride Fund’s partner networks. - Participate in cross-learning and co-funding opportunities with other inclusive corporates.

Are there ways to support Pride Fund India beyond financial contributions?

Yes, we are always on the lookout for volunteers from design, social media, and fundraising for our NGO partners.

What is the grant cycle and selection process?

In the launch year of 2025, we followed a participatory grant-making approach via a jury of founding patrons, anchor partners, and LGBTQIA+ practitioners. They reviewed the proposals collected through RFPs and selected grantees for post-deliberation. We will continue to take advice from this panel as we empanel more organisations. If you want to introduce your organisation to the Pride Fund India, please write to info@pridefundindia.org

Do you support early-stage organisations or only established ones?

We support organisations that are LGBTQIA+ focused, underfunded (small/grassroot/ mid-sized NGOs), and have been operational for at least three years.

FAQs

If you still don’t find what you’re looking for, feel free to reach out to us.

How can I donate to Pride Fund India?

We are inviting funders - philanthropists, family foundations, CSR, domestic and international foundations to commit and build an inclusive future for India’s queer community. We encourage funders to support our NGO partners located across India for their program and their administrative expenses via programmatic and unrestricted funds. We encourage our funders to support multiyear funding to deepen impact on the ground. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funders can collaborate with The Pride Fund to: - Access a curated, vetted portfolio of NGOs working on queer inclusion. - Simplify due diligence and reduce compliance and reputational risks through pooled funding. - Showcase impact on national and international platforms through Pride Fund’s partner networks. - Participate in cross-learning and co-funding opportunities with other inclusive corporates.

Are there ways to support Pride Fund India beyond financial contributions?

Yes, we are always on the lookout for volunteers from design, social media, and fundraising for our NGO partners.

What is the grant cycle and selection process?

In the launch year of 2025, we followed a participatory grant-making approach via a jury of founding patrons, anchor partners, and LGBTQIA+ practitioners. They reviewed the proposals collected through RFPs and selected grantees for post-deliberation. We will continue to take advice from this panel as we empanel more organisations. If you want to introduce your organisation to the Pride Fund India, please write to info@pridefundindia.org

Do you support early-stage organisations or only established ones?

We support organisations that are LGBTQIA+ focused, underfunded (small/grassroot/ mid-sized NGOs), and have been operational for at least three years.