Mumbai, Jan 3 (IANS) The Mira Bhayandar Municipal Corporation (MBMC) has conceptualized a flagship initiative called ‘Faral Sakhi’, aimed at empowering women entrepreneurs in the city of Mira Bhayandar.
MBMC collaborated with the Women Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP) of NITI Aayog and formally launched ‘Faral Sakhi’ under the Award to Reward (ATR) initiative of WEP. The program will provide comprehensive training and support to help women entrepreneurs engaged in traditional snack production to scale their ventures sustainably and effectively.
The ‘Faral Sakhi’ initiative is aimed at creating permanent employment opportunities for women by engaging them in the production and sale of traditional festive snacks (‘Faral’). A central kitchen, set up by MBMC, enables women from self-help groups (SHGs) to prepare these snacks professionally. MBMC further supports these women by providing sales spaces and promoting their products through municipal advertisements.
During the Diwali season, the initiative achieved remarkable success, selling over 3 tonnes of snacks due to their superior quality and taste.
About 25 women from Mira Bhayandar will be selected for technical training in business operations. This training, facilitated by the Centre for Education, Governance, and Public Policy (CEGP Foundation), will equip participants with the skills and knowledge needed to establish sustainable businesses and contribute to the local economy.
The ‘Award to Reward’ (ATR) initiative under WEP offers a plug-and-play framework for stakeholders to develop impactful programs. This collaboration focuses on enabling women entrepreneurs to succeed in domestic markets and scale their businesses internationally. With over 30,000 women entrepreneurs already engaged with WEP, this partnership with MBMC aims to create a thriving ecosystem for women-led businesses in Mira Bhayandar. WEP partner Appreciate will also provide financial support for this ATR.
“Supporting women entrepreneurs is vital to achieve women-led development. WEP provides comprehensive support to women entrepreneurs right from training, skilling, access to resources, mentors and networks. WEP works on the three guiding principles to empower women and enable them to achieve self-reliance: Iccha Shakti (power of motivation to start & scale business), Gyaan Shakti (power of knowledge to overcome information asymmetry) and Karma Shakti (power of action through handholding & support). By integrating the ‘Faral Sakhi’ initiative into the ‘Award to Reward’ program, we are fostering the growth of women-led home industries, enabling them to transition into large-scale enterprises. This initiative is not only about creating businesses but also about inspiring societal transformation,” said Anna Roy, Principal Economic Adviser, NITI Aayog and Mission Director, WEP.
“The ‘Faral Sakhi’ initiative represents a significant step toward the holistic development of women entrepreneurs. Through this partnership with WEP, we are preparing the women of Mira Bhayandar to lead sustainable industries and inspire future generations,” said Sanjay Katkar, Municipal Commissioner, Mira Bhayandar Municipal Corporation.
–IANS
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