What does it take to run CraftHER?

For the full visual experience, check us out on IG here! 

Six weeks. Four locations. Dozens of partners.

Here’s what it looks like behind the scenes:

1️⃣ Daily coordination
Every day starts with a detailed run-through of schedules. Confirming transport, meals, sessions, and site visits. The day ends with a debrief to record what worked, what needs adjusting, and lessons for the next year.

2️⃣ Logistics in motion
Coordinating homestays, community spaces, craft workshops, and transport across multiple districts isn’t just about booking. It’s about timing each piece so scholars arrive energised, not exhausted. Rain delays? Last-minute partner changes? It’s all part of the plan.

3️⃣ Partner alignment
Our partners - women-led enterprises, artisan collectives, NGOs - are at the heart of the program. We work with them to design sessions that go beyond “show and tell” into real conversations about business models, leadership, and community impact.

4️⃣ Scholar growth
From their first consulting project briefing to final presentations, scholars are challenged to think deeply and adapt quickly. We build in moments for reflection, leadership exercises, and peer feedback so they leave with both skills and self-awareness.

5️⃣ A women-powered engine
Apart from a few wonderful male hosts and drivers, every aspect of program design, facilitation, and delivery is led by women. From Swara’s core team to partner organisations. It shapes the program’s collaborative, trust-driven culture.

6️⃣ Documenting & improving
Every year, we capture scholar feedback, team insights, and partner suggestions to refine CraftHER for the next cohort. The goal: to keep the heart of the program intact while improving flow, depth, and impact.

Running CraftHER is part fieldwork, part leadership lab, part logistical puzzle.

But when it all comes together, you see what’s possible when women lead, share, and build together...Across continents and contexts.