Women Entrepreneurs at work

HCL Uday is HCL Technologies’ community development programme that aims at creating ‘green, clean and empowered societies.’ EDII and HCL Uday have joined hands to float the project HCL SATTVA with the aim of providing employment and livelihood opportunities to women, thus ensuring that they step on to the mainstream with skills, knowledge and thus financial independence.

In Bengaluru, 67 women were provided skill training in Mushroom Cultivation & making of Jute Products under Women Skillpreneurship Development Programme (WSDP) 18 & 19. Women were also handheld in setting up their enterprises. Women from WSDP 16 & 17 not just started their production of jute bags and mushrooms but have also initiated selling them into Horticultural Producers’ Cooperative Marketing and Processing Society (HOPCOMS) and exhibitions. EDII took stock of progress of all present and previous programme participants. The Institute extended guidance to them on fixing retail and wholesale prices, marketing, labelling and for improving product packaging.

To create awareness among women towards adopting entrepreneurship as a career, community mobilization and stakeholders’ meetings were conducted by SATTVA project team at Jigani & Sarajapura Hobli locations. Through these campaigns around 112 aspiring women agreed to participate in the upcoming programmes.

 In Madurai, potential women beneficiaries were provided skill training in making Millet products, Handicraft & designer blouses. 34 women successfully completed training in making designer blouses, handicrafts and completed millet products making. In addition to skill training, the women were also handheld in completing basic formalities related to enterprise setting up, such as creating brand name, upgrading their logo, packaging & labelling, making brochures and visiting cards and similar related tasks.

One of the landmark initiatives taken by SATTVA project team to promote the WSDP 1 – 5 women entrepreneurs has been to make them refreshment partner in all SATTVA project training and exhibitions at Madurai Location.

In Hyderabad, 115 women received training in making Hyderabad jewellery, handmade jewellery and jute/cotton bags. For the promotion of the products, beneficiaries were enrolled on various digital platforms such as Aleizone by ALEAP, myehaat by HCL Foundation, WeAct by Accenture and EDII as well as Instagram. Apart from that women enterprises were supported to participate in weekly markets in Asif Nagar Mandal. All WSDP trades were supported for market linkages, credit linkages and for obtaining all the necessary statutory compliances. Mobilization campaigns were conducted widely to mobilize potential women candidates.

Participation in HCL-F Partner Hyderabad Convergence Meet conducted at Balanagar Hyderabad, where Mr. M.A. Rahuff Project Coordinator presented SATTVA, Hyderabad Project. It is a platform for all the skill partners of HCL Foundation across India to interact and understand each other’s project, progress and implementation strategies. This meeting was organised by HCL Foundation in all the three locations Bangalore, Hyderabad and Madurai.

In Bengaluru, women entrepreneurs from WSDP 13, 16 & 17 participated in the exhibitions at Banashankari & Banneraghatta, organized by Zila Panchayat on the occasion of women’s day with support of SATTVA Bengaluru project coordinator. The exhibition provided an opportunity to market products and create a network of buyers.

In Madurai, for marketing millets product enterprises, SATTVA Madurai team partnered with HR Business Summit ‘Talentia 22’ which was organised by TSM Business school. The stalls were put up by project women beneficiaries to market their products. As a part of marketing campaign, a Millet product Exhibition was also conducted at Thiagarajar School of Management, Madurai on 8 January, 2022.

Yuva Mela

On the occasion of National Youth Day, a virtual event was organised by HCL Foundation on a PAN India basis. Multiple activities were organized in the event like yuvakendra alumni meet, panel discussions with candidates & employers, placement support was explored, networking with employers was promoted among several other outcome-based activities that were initiated. Women entrepreneurs from WSDP 15 participated in the virtual event and shared their entrepreneurial journey. From Bengaluru, 34 women entrepreneurs and from Hyderabad 15 women beneficiaries participated virtually in the event.

HCL Employee Engagement Programme

As a part of HCL employee engagement programme, SATTVA project team planned sessions at all three project locations. Sessions focused on digital marketing basics and techniques, social media marketing and other relevant topics. There were 20 sessions planned and the session was conducted online for Bangalore and Madurai locations.

Women of Excellence Thalaivi Awards 2022

Dindugal District HR foundation awarded Women of Excellence Award Thalaivi 2022 to EDII-SATTVA women entrepreneurs Mrs. K. Saranya (Snegithi Millets) and Mrs. Kavitha Balaraman, Project Coordinator, EDII Madurai under the category of inspirational leaders. Mrs. K. Saranya, Snegithi Millets received Women of Excellence Thalaivi Award 2022; Ms. Radhika JA – Founder – QueenBee Paper Crafts & Creative Art from Chennai and Mrs. Kavitha Balaraman received Women of Excellence Thalaivi Award 2022 from Singer and Folk Artist – Mrs. Rajalakshmi Senthil. The project has inspired both the awardees to pursue their entrepreneurial dreams with even greater resolve and vigour.