Author | Lightnews

Heifer International Asia @heiferasia.bsky.social · 17d

📷 Watch Sangita’s inspiring story — a testament to the power of women-led cooperatives in driving economic and social change.

#SeedingStrength #IYV2025 #HeiferPowersCoop #WomenInLeadership #AccessToFinance

Heifer International Asia @heiferasia.bsky.social · 17d

Through unity, trust, and determination, Sangita and her fellow women farmers are building a movement that empowers thousands and reshapes rural food systems across India.

#SeedingStrength #IYV2025 #HeiferPowersCoop #WomenInLeadership #AccessToFinance

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Heifer International Asia @heiferasia.bsky.social · 17d

She shared her powerful journey of transformation — from a homemaker to a leader uniting hundreds of women through cooperation & collective action.

What began as a small self-help group of 20 women has grown into a thriving enterprise that eliminates middlemen, ensures fair prices.

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Heifer International Asia @heiferasia.bsky.social · 17d

From 20 Women to a Movement of Thousands!

At the #FiresideChat: Seeding Strength to Unlock Finance for Women-led Rural Enterprises and Cooperatives in Asia on September 24th, Sangita Devi, Executive Director of Diyamaati Farmer Producer Company from Bihar, India.

📷 Watch her inspiring story!

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Heifer International Asia @heiferasia.bsky.social · 17d

Watch his thoughts on how collaborative finance and inclusive policy can transform rural economies across Asia.

#SeedingStrength #IYV2025 #WomenInLeadership #AccessToFinance

Heifer International Asia @heiferasia.bsky.social · 17d

By fostering strategic partnerships, innovation hubs, and de-risking mechanisms like portfolio guarantees, the EU is helping financial institutions design solutions tailored for women-led SMEs and cooperatives — enabling them to grow with confidence and resilience.

#IYV2025 #HeiferPowersCoop

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Heifer International Asia @heiferasia.bsky.social · 17d

He emphasised that fairness must extend beyond finance — it must ensure equitable access to markets, education, and opportunities.

He shared how the EU is driving this vision forward through gender-responsive policies, sustainable farming incentives, and climate-risk protections.

#SeedingStrength

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Heifer International Asia @heiferasia.bsky.social · 17d

Advancing Fairness Through Inclusive Finance and Partnerships!

Speaking during the #FiresideChat: Seeding Strength to Unlock Finance for Women-led Rural Enterprises and Cooperatives in Asia on September 24th, Davide Loriggiola, Policy Officer at the European Commission (DG INTPA).

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Heifer International Asia @heiferasia.bsky.social · 17d

Women-led cooperatives can scale their enterprises, build their brands, and transform food systems for generations to come.

📷 Watch Parbati’s reflections from the #FiresideChat under the #SeedingStrength campaign.

#IYV2025 #HeiferPowersCoop #WomenInLeadership #AccessToFinance #RuralTransformation

Heifer International Asia @heiferasia.bsky.social · 17d

Yet, as Parbati highlighted, access to finance, markets, and infrastructure remains limited.

Her call to action was clear — with farmer-friendly policies, fair access to loans, and investment in skills, branding, and digital tools.

#AccessToFinance #RuralTransformation

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Heifer International Asia @heiferasia.bsky.social · 17d

She shared a powerful message on what it truly takes to empower women smallholder farmers through cooperatives.

For over 25 years, women-led cooperatives in Nepal have turned collective strength into impact, reaching more than 400,000 families.

#WomenInLeadership #AccessToFinance

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Heifer International Asia @heiferasia.bsky.social · 17d

From Solidarity to Transformation!

At the #FiresideChat: Seeding Strength to Unlock Finance for Women-led Rural Enterprises and Cooperatives in Asia on September 24th, Parbati Neupane — Founding Chairperson of the Social Entrepreneurs Women’s Alliance (SEWA), Nepal.

#IYV2025 #HeiferPowersCoop

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Heifer International Asia @heiferasia.bsky.social · 19d

#SeedingStrength #IYV2025 #HeiferPowersCoop #WomenInLeadership #AccessToFinance

Heifer International Asia @heiferasia.bsky.social · 19d

True transformation requires collaboration — uniting partners across sectors, investing strategically and innovatively, and ensuring scalable, sustainable solutions that give women and marginal producers access to the financial services they deserve.

#WomenInLeadership #AccessToFinance

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Heifer International Asia @heiferasia.bsky.social · 19d

He emphasised the importance of building an enabling ecosystem that goes beyond philanthropy.

He highlighted that philanthropic capital alone cannot address the vast challenges faced by women entrepreneurs and small producers.

#SeedingStrength#HeiferPowersCoop #WomenInLeadership #AccessToFinance

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Heifer International Asia @heiferasia.bsky.social · 19d

Catalyzing Change Through Convergence!

As part of the #FiresideChat: #SeedingStrength to Unlock Finance for Women-led Rural Enterprises and Cooperatives in Asia on September 24th, Anjani Singh Senior Program Officer at the Gates Foundation India.

Watch his reflections where finance meets inclusion

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Heifer International Asia @heiferasia.bsky.social · 20d

This was more than an event—it was a movement. A reminder that when communities lead, transformation follows.

👉 Watch the video, hear the voices, and join us in Seeding Strength to Empower Farmer Cooperatives.

#IYC2025 #YearoftheCooperative #HeiferPowersCoop #LocallyLed

Heifer International Asia @heiferasia.bsky.social · 20d

... Khmer Organic Cooperative; ANJANI KUMAR SINGH, Senior Program Officer, Gates Foundation India; and Davide Loriggiola, Policy Officer, European Commission (DG INTPA)—the dialogue wove together first-mile wisdom and global perspectives.

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Heifer International Asia @heiferasia.bsky.social · 20d

👉 From Sangita Devi, Executive Director, Diyamaati Farmer Producer Company (India), whose testimony grounded the discussion in lived realities to the insights of Parbati Neupane, Founding Chairperson SEWA Nepal; Noun Tum Noun, Vice President, Cambodia Cashew Federation & Business Development Manager

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Heifer International Asia @heiferasia.bsky.social · 20d

✨ 5 translators made it possible for women farmer coop members to join the conversation as equals with philanthropies, multilaterals & investors.

Impact?
🌟 170+ participants on Zoom
🌟 39+ cooperatives participated
🌟 2,883 cooperative members engaged from #India, #Bangladesh, #Nepal & #Cambodia.

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Heifer International Asia @heiferasia.bsky.social · 20d

✨CNN News18 Co-op Film: #SeedingStrength: Heifer’s Mission to Transform Food Systems by Supporting Farmer Cooperatives in Asia was screened in Hindi, Odia, Bangla, Khmer, and Nepali, so their voices spoke directly to the communities, not through filters.

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Heifer International Asia @heiferasia.bsky.social · 20d

Last week, we saw that dream come alive at the #FiresideChat: Seeding Strength to Unlock Finance for Women-led Rural Enterprises and Cooperatives in Asia.

✨ Farmers and cooperative members from Bangladesh, Nepal, India, and Cambodia didn’t just attend the fireside chat—they shaped it.

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Heifer International Asia @heiferasia.bsky.social · 20d

🌱💪 👩‍🌾Nothing about them, without them.

The #SeedingStrength: Empowering Farmer Cooperatives campaign began in July with a dream: to place communities at the very centre of dialogue on empowering farmer cooperatives and unlocking finance for women-led enterprises and cooperatives in Asia.

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Heifer International Asia @heiferasia.bsky.social · 20d

This isn’t just an event — it’s part of a movement. A step forward in our mission to end hunger and poverty while caring for the Earth. 🌾🌍

#HeiferPowerCoop #IYC2025 #WomenFarmers #InclusiveFinance

Heifer International Asia @heiferasia.bsky.social · 20d

Together, we spotlighted:
🔹 Enablers and barriers to financing women-led cooperatives in Asia.
🔹 Practical recommendations to deliver on people, planet & prosperity.
🔹 Stronger multi-stakeholder collaboration for inclusive financial ecosystems.

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