Samva collective

Swavalambane: Building Rural Brands, One Woman at a Time

NSRCEL – IIM Bangalore

Karnataka

NRLM, KSRLPS, World Bank

The challenge

Karnataka is home to over 3.5 lakh women-led Self Help Groups. While many have strong, local businesses, they struggle with market access, visibility, and brand identity. The Swavalambane Incubation Program, launched by NSRCEL and KSRLPS, set out to change this by handholding 150 women-led non-farm enterprises from across 26 districts to become scalable, self-sustaining ventures.

Our Role

Nano Media, led by Muhassin and supported by Samva co-founder Renza, was selected as the Branding & Marketing Partner.
Our mandate:
  • Co-create culturally rooted branding toolkits
  • Build capacity for storytelling and digital presence
  • Understand each enterprise’s brand readiness

Our Approach

Ground-Up Assessment

We engaged with all 150 entrepreneurs through on-site bootcamps, phone interviews, and one-on-one mentoring. Each business was mapped based on scale, vision, challenges, and existing identity.

Branding Toolkit Creation

We developed customised toolkits for each enterprises logos, labels, product tags, visiting cards, and brochures tailored to sector, geography, and target market.
  • 144 new logos delivered
  • 138 brochures and 126 packaging elements created
  • 97 Instagram and 68 WhatsApp Business accounts activated

Knowledge Building

A 10-part vernacular webinar series was developed to build digital and marketing literacy from using WhatsApp Business to crafting compelling social content.

Design + Dialogue

Toolkits were not handed over; they were co-created through one-on-one sessions, encouraging feedback, trust-building, and local ownership.

Impact at a Glance

150

women entrepreneurs supported

500+

jobs supported across enterprises

15%

average increase in revenue for 74 enterprises

₹50+

lakhs

in potential orders from buyer-founder meets

3

enterprises

began exports

100+

women trained to manage digital accounts and pitch products

Why This Matters

Swavalambane isn't just about visual identity, it's about voice. From handmade pappads in Tumkur to banana fibre crafts in Koppal, these women are building brands with stories, skills, and rooted aspirations. And when branding is done in their language, visually and culturally, it becomes a tool for ownership, dignity, and growth.

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