Shillong, February 26 : Prime Sauramandala Rural Entrepreneurship Fellowship (PSREF), an organization dedicated to fostering rural entrepreneurship and sustainable development, is thrilled to announce the launch of a new batch held today at SMELC in Tura, Meghalaya. A joint initiative between PRIME Meghalaya (the Government of Meghalaya) and the Sauramandala Foundation was launched
with the aim of empowering rural entrepreneurs in Meghalaya by providing them with comprehensive support, resources, and mentorship to scale their businesses and drive positive change in their communities.
The fellowship has been co-designed to contribute towards developing the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Meghalaya. A strong component of the program is that it provides young changemakers from both within and outside the state with opportunities to actively contribute to the development of underdeveloped rural areas.
36 passionate and skilled individuals who share a common interest in rural entrepreneurship joined the second batch. The group consists of individuals from both outside the state, bringing an outside perspective, and from different parts of Meghalaya who have a good understanding of the local culture, language, and systems. 12 field units of 1 fellow and 2 associates were formed and deployed across 12 blocks from 12 districts in Meghalaya.
All fellows and associates will be engaged full-time for the duration of the 18-month fellowship. The teams will currently be going through a 14-day orientation program starting today, gearing them up for field engagements with rural entrepreneurs in Meghalaya and learning about the PSREF mission,vision, and approach to rural entrepreneurship development. The orientation will serve as a crucial preparatory step to equip the fellows and associates with the knowledge, skills, and insights necessary for effective collaboration and impactful engagement in rural communities.
The orientation will further them understand the entrepreneurs’ challenges and handhold them during their different stages of their entrepreneurial journey, providing inputs across various aspects such as value chain development, marketing, machinery, branding and packaging, frugal innovation, etc.
While addressing the gathering for the event, Minha Riyaz Khan, Program Lead, PSREF, said, “We are excited to announce the new batch of the PSREF in Meghalaya; this program represents our commitment to empowering rural entrepreneurs and catalyzing grassroots innovation to create a more sustainable future for Meghalaya.”
Minha further added, “I believe everyone here has the capacity to create something unique and great.
We are here to help you realize your full potential through support in all aspects.”
Speaking at the occasion, Nagakarthik MP, Founder Sauramandala Foundation, said, “The second batch would not have been possible without all our partners, including Rainmatter Foundation, PRIME Meghalaya, and SELCO Foundation, to name a few. This year, we are even more confident because of the learning, insights, and experiences of the last batch, a wider network of partners and stakeholders, and the resources enabled by this cohesion between government and philanthropic efforts. With this batch, we will be reaching all the districts of the state, designing better solutions, and contributing to effective people-centric policy design.”
After the orientation and being equipped with the knowledge of a collaborative mindset, fellows and associates will be prepared to embark on field engagements with rural entrepreneurs in Meghalaya.
Through these engagements, PSREF aims to foster meaningful partnerships, drive innovation, and create lasting impact in rural communities.
About PRIME-Sauramandala Rural Entrepreneurship Fellowship PRIME-Sauramandala Rural Entrepreneurship Fellowship (PSREF) offers an opportunity to young and motivated change-maker from across the country to join as fellows and Associates and work closely with rural entrepreneurs in Meghalaya to build and scale their enterprises as well as set up a conductive environment for other to succeed.
To know more, visit www.sauramandala.org. For any additional queries, write to us at
media.psref@gmail.com or info@primemeghalaya.com.
About Sauramandala Foundation Sauramandala Foundation’s Centre For Accelerated Development (CFAD) helps accelerate social and economic change to build the resilience of remote, vulnerable and disconnected communities through collaborative action.
To know more, visit www.sauramandala.org. For any additional queries, write to us at
info@sauramandala.org
For media inquiries, please contact:
Andrew Tshering Bareh
Manager Communication, PSREF
✆ +91 97170 – 71671
✉ andrewbareh@gmail.com
Parij Borgohain
Program Lead- Communication & Strategy, SMF
✆ +91 82803 43672
✉ parij@sauramandala.org
