Education, water, food security, infrastructure and healthcare are all necessary for development, but they are not sufficient. There need to be economic opportunities as well. What is the use of growing surplus crops if there is no market for them? How will education transform the lives of young people if there are no jobs for recent graduates? How can bright entrepreneurs create their own businesses if there is no capital or credit?

RASIT’s commitment Sustainable Development Goal 8 is helping to create economic empowerment for people living in rural areas and giving them opportunities to develop themselves.

RASIT’s associate members work with local organizations and villages to create an environment that will foster economic growth. Through training, micro-finance and creating e-commerce platforms, RASIT is creating sustainable social and economic development.

One of the biggest limitations to economic growth in rural communities is a lack of markets. To help address this issue, RASIT facilitates vocational training for people and in some cases micro-finance to start an e-commerce business, provide services to the community and begin making money!

Through its network, RASIT supports marketing the products and help the rural entrepreneur selling their goods and further provide training to their own staff so that they can operate independently.

By providing vocational training RASIT is empowering local entrepreneurs to lift themselves and their entire communities out of poverty.