Entrepreneurship and Community Development Institute - ECDI

What Entrepreneurship and Community Development Institute - ECDI does

Entrepreneurship and Community Development Institute (ECDI) is a not-for-profit economic development organization founded in 1990 and headquartered in Karachi, Pakistan. It works with women and youth from poor and marginalized communities across Pakistan, with a focus on micro and small enterprises in garment, handicrafts, and agricultural subsectors. ECDI operates as a fee-for-service institute (it does not accept donations) generating revenue through training and consultancy fees, project implementation contracts with donor agencies, and a small commercial line via an e-commerce storefront selling handmade artisan products.

ECDI's core offerings span four interconnected programs: (1) Training and Consultancy services covering HR training, change management, gender mainstreaming, value chain development, and training of trainers; (2) the WOW Pakistan festival, co-curated with the British Council and WOW Foundation since 2016, celebrating gender equality and providing a marketplace for women artisans; (3) the MADE51 partnership with UNHCR Pakistan and Concern Worldwide supporting Afghan refugee women's economic empowerment; and (4) community infrastructure programs including AWESOME (a 5-chapter association of women entrepreneurs spun off in 2006), the RWEN regional network spanning Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Tajikistan, and the Tabeer ultra-poor pilot. ECDI also produces in-house publications and structured courses and runs project-specific facilitating partnerships with organizations such as MEDA, SRSP, Pak Social Welfare Society, Kaarvan Crafts, and Haleeb Foods.

ECDI's go-to-market is community-led and channel-partner-driven, working through local NGOs, community-based organizations, government training centers, and international donor agencies (USAID, CIDA, ILO, Aga Khan Foundation, UNFPA, UNHCR). It reaches beneficiaries via the AWESOME association network, Female Sales Agent networks, on-the-ground training events, and digital channels (e-commerce, Instagram, YouTube). Private-sector distribution partnerships with Khaadi, Gul Ahmed Home Linen, Rizwan Beyg, and Koel extend market access for artisan products. ECDI is led by President and Founder Perveen Shaikh and operates with a team of approximately 38 employees.

Name

Entrepreneurship and Community Development Institute - ECDI

Legal name

Entrepreneurship and Community Development Institute

Website

https://ecdipakistan.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

ECDI is a Karachi-based not-for-profit founded in 1990 that builds economic capacity for women and youth micro-entrepreneurs in Pakistan through training, consultancy, donor-funded project implementation, and an e-commerce artisan marketplace.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Karachi

HQ country

Pakistan

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Training and Consultancy Fees: ECDI depends on training, consultation and technical assistance fees from capacity development and learning events, as well as action-research field projects. The organization does not accept donations but generates revenue through fee-for-service training programs.
2. Product Sales (MADE51 & Shop): ECDI operates an e-commerce shop selling handmade artisan products including homewares, textiles, ceramics, accessories, and kids items. Products are sourced from women artisans they have trained, creating market linkages for their beneficiaries.
3. Project Implementation: ECDI receives funding support from local and international agencies for implementing development projects, though they explicitly state they do not accept donations.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

ECDI is a not-for-profit economic development organization that delivers training, consultancy, and technical assistance to women-owned micro and small enterprises in Pakistan. It also operates an e-commerce shop selling handcrafted artisan products made by the women it trains, and curates the annual WOW Pakistan festival to provide marketplace visibility for women artisans.

Product overview

ECDI operates as a not-for-profit economic development organization offering a portfolio of interconnected programs and products. The core offerings include handcrafted artisan products (homewares, textiles, ceramics, accessories, and kids items) sold through an e-commerce shop; training and consultancy services for micro and small enterprises; Made51 economic empowerment initiative for Afghan refugees; and the Women of the World (WOW) Pakistan festival. Supporting products include in-house publications and research resources, structured courses (HR Training, Change Management, Gender Mainstreaming, Value Chain Development, Enterprise Development), and community programs like Tabeer, AWESOME, and RWEN that provide market access and networking for women entrepreneurs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• WOW Pakistan: Women of the World festival in Pakistan, co-curated by ECDI in partnership with the British Council. A global movement celebrating women and girls and addressing gender equality.
• MADE51
• AWESOME

Products and services

• Training and Consultancy Services Fee-for-service capacity development programs, learning events, action-research field projects, needs assessment studies, business development services, and enterprise development support delivered to micro and small enterprises and partner organizations.
• Customised Courses Structured training programs covering HR Training, Change Management, Gender Mainstreaming, Value Chain Development Approach, Enterprise Development, and Training of Trainers with detailed learning objectives for organizational clients.
• Handcrafted Artisan Products E-commerce shop selling handmade homewares, textiles, ceramics, accessories, and kids items including quilts, table covers, napkins, candles, stitched and unstitched clothing, jackets, ponchos, scarves, decorative ceramics, kitchen ceramics, earrings, pendants, bags, handstitched dolls, handstitched animal toys, reusable masks, and artworks created by women artisans.
• Women of the World (WOW) Pakistan Festival Annual gender equality festival held in Karachi featuring talks, debates, workshops, performances, mentorship sessions, and a vibrant marketplace where women entrepreneurs showcase and sell products. ECDI serves as lead curator in partnership with the British Council and the WOW Foundation in the UK.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 2000 women entrepreneurs trained through Entrepreneurship Development Programs
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

23 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• UNHCR PakistancoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerECDI is a UNHCR MADE51 social enterprise partner, implementing economic empowerment initiatives with Afghan refugee communities in partnership with UNHCR Pakistan and Concern Worldwide.
• British Council PakistancoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerECDI is the lead curator for the Women of the World (WOW) festival in Pakistan, in partnership with the WOW Foundation in the UK and the British Council in Pakistan.
• WOW Foundation (UK)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerECDI is the lead curator for WOW Pakistan festival, partnering with the global WOW Foundation founded by Jude Kelly in 2010.
• Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Tabeer project and community mobilization programs with Aga Khan Social Welfare Board and National Council.
• MEDAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerImplementing partner on multiple projects including Behind the Veil, Pathways and Pursestrings, BDS market assessment, and The Entrepreneurs Project.
• Concern WorldwidecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in MADE51 initiative with ECDI and UNHCR Pakistan for Afghan refugee economic empowerment.
• Youth Affairs Department, Government of SindhmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Youth Mobilization in Sindh project (2016-2017) working with 15-24 year olds across 10 districts.
• STEVTAmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in BBSYDP project for training 330 unemployed youth in dress making, stitching, and fashion designing.
• Women Technical Training Centers (WTTCs)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerECDI provides pro bono consulting support and advisory services to WTTCs in Buffer Zone, North Karachi, and Korangi for 15 years.
• KhaadiminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPrivate sector partnership for market access and distribution of artisan products.
• Gul Ahmed - Home LinenminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPrivate sector partnership for home textile market access and distribution.
• Rizwan BeygminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFashion designer partnership for market access and design collaboration.
• KoelminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPrivate sector partnership for artisan product distribution.
• Far and Wide CollectiveminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMarketplace partner for artisan product sales.
• Coates PakistanminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrivate sector partnership for artisan product supply chain.
• AWESOME (Association of Women Entrepreneurs)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerECDI-created association of women entrepreneurs in 2006, now independent with 5 chapters across Pakistan (Karachi, Hyderabad, Thatta, Multan, Quetta, Peshawar). ECDI provides secretarial and advisory support.
• RWEN (Regional Women's Economic Network)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork of women's associations from Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Tajikistan. AWESOME is the Pakistan member; AWBC and NABWT are other country members.
• Pak Social Welfare Society (PSWS)majorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerKey Facilitating Partner in Pathways and Pursestrings project, working with 4,000-5,000 women glass bangle makers in Sindh.
• Kaarvan Crafts FoundationmajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerKey Facilitating Partner in Pathways and Pursestrings project, empowering 8,000-10,000 homebound women embellishers.
• Sarhad Rural Support Program (SRSP)majorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerKey Facilitating Partner in Pathways and Pursestrings project, raising income of 1,500-2,000 women seedling producers in NWFP.
• Haleeb Foods LimitedmajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPrivate sector Key Facilitating Partner in Pathways and Pursestrings project for dairy subsector in Punjab.
• Karvaan CraftsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHandicrafts organization partnership for artisan product distribution.
• AmardominorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHandicrafts organization partnership.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• BRAC: BRAC is the world's largest development NGO, operating microfinance, education, and women's empowerment programs across South Asia and Africa. It is a broad incumbent comparable to ECDI's integrated model of training, microenterprise, and women's economic empowerment, with substantially greater scale and geographic reach.
• Aga Khan Foundation: Aga Khan Foundation is a major ECDI donor and partner (Tabeer project, AKDN network). As a large international development institution, it is a broader incumbent comparable to ECDI's programs in community mobilization, women's empowerment, and value chain development, though at much greater scale and geographic breadth.

Direct peers

• Self Employed Women's Association (SEWA): SEWA is India's largest women's economic empowerment organization, organizing poor self-employed women for full employment. It is directly comparable to ECDI in mission, women-led enterprise model, and focus on informal-sector value chains (handicrafts, textiles, agriculture).
• Akhuwat Foundation: Akhuwat is Pakistan's largest interest-free microfinance organization with a strong women's empowerment focus. It is directly comparable to ECDI in Pakistan-based operations, pro-poor target segment, and economic-empowerment delivery model.
• MEDA (Mennonite Economic Development Associates): MEDA is a direct peer and existing implementing partner of ECDI on multiple projects (Behind the Veil, Entrepreneurs Project, Pathways & Pursestrings). Both organizations operate as faith-inspired non-profits delivering economic development, market systems, and women's empowerment programs across developing-country value chains.
• National Rural Support Programme (NRSP): NRSP is a major Pakistani rural development NGO operating community-driven poverty alleviation and micro-enterprise programs across the country. It is directly comparable to ECDI in operating geography, target beneficiary base, and economic-development mission.
• Kashf Foundation: Kashf Foundation is a leading Pakistani microfinance institution focused on women's economic empowerment and enterprise development. It is directly comparable to ECDI in target segment (low-income women), service mix (training plus market linkages), and Pakistani operating geography.
• Karvaan Crafts Foundation: Karvaan Crafts is a Key Facilitating Partner alongside ECDI on the Pathways & Pursestrings project, empowering 8,000-10,000 homebound women embellishers. It is a direct peer operating in the same Pakistani handicrafts value chain with the same women-artisan development model.

Regional players

• WOW Foundation: WOW Foundation is the UK-based parent of the global Women of the World festival movement and ECDI's festival partner. It is a regional peer operating the same festival format in different geographies (UK-based versus Pakistan-based), giving ECDI access to a global platform but not directly competing for the same beneficiaries.

Emerging players

• MADE51 (UNHCR): MADE51 is UNHCR's social enterprise platform for refugee artisans, of which ECDI is a Pakistan implementing partner. It is an emerging platform player comparable to ECDI's artisan-development work but at a global coordination layer rather than grassroots field-delivery layer.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@wowfestivalpakistan
• Instagraminstagram.com/wow.pakistan
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ecdi

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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