Lanjigarh :Empowering women is not just about uplifting individuals, but rather about transforming
entire communities. In India, where women’s participation in the economy remains one of the
most powerful levers of growth, socio-economic barriers often stand in the way. In the
remote district of Kalahandi, Odisha, Vedanta Aluminium, India’s largest producer of
aluminium, is quietly dismantling these barriers through its flagship women empowerment
initiative, Project Sakhi.
Since its inception in 2015, Project Sakhi has sparked a quiet revolution. More than 4,600
women across 444 self-help groups (SHG) have mobilised over ₹5 crore in financial
support, enabling them to launch and grow grassroots enterprises. Women who once
struggled with poverty – leave alone having any exposure to financial systems – are now
entrepreneurs, decision-makers, and community leaders. Project Sakhi has become a
movement that helps women reimagine their roles, not just as contributors to household
income, but as CEOs of their own lives!
From Livelihoods to Leadership
At the heart of the project lies a simple idea: Build women’s capacity to earn independently
and give them access to resources that can unlock entrepreneurship. Project Sakhi weaves
together financial literacy, access to credit, vocational training, and collective leadership.
Women are encouraged to explore both farm-based and non-farm-based income
opportunities, from mushroom cultivation and goat-rearing to grocery shops, food processing
units, and even small service ventures such as printing facilities. By coupling skill
development with financial support, the project ensures that the women do not just start
businesses but also sustain them.
The impact of this approach has been significant. Last year alone, nearly ₹3.84 crore was
mobilised from banks and financial institutions for SHGs in the region, benefiting more than a
thousand women. These micro-enterprises are providing stable incomes and creating ripple
effects in local economies, with new jobs, markets, and opportunities emerging around them.
Over time, Project Sakhi has enabled more than 1,880 women to launch over 1,300 small
ventures, reshaping livelihoods in ways that were unimaginable a decade ago.
Pranab Kumar Bhattacharya, CEO of Vedanta Alumina Business said, "The success of
this project doesn’t lie in only numbers; it's a testament to the transformative power of a
focused, grassroots approach. We are witnessing the beginning of a new era of self-reliance,
where women are the primary architects of their lives."
A notable example comes from Balabhadrapur village, where the Maa Shivani SHG
represents the project’s spirit in action. After receiving hands-on training in poultry
management, the women of this SHG set up a poultry unit that generated over ₹1.27 lakh in
revenue. The initiative has not only boosted their household incomes but has also elevated
their stature in the community. Women who once had limited influence in family or
community decisions are now seen as breadwinners and role models, inspiring others to
follow their path.
Social security has been another pillar of the programme. By connecting over 3,000 women
to critical government schemes such as life and accident insurance, child savings
Sensitivity: Public
(C4)
programmes, and labour welfare registrations, Project Sakhi has created safety nets that
protect families against uncertainty. This integration of financial independence with social
protection ensures that the progress is sustainable.
This festive season, as the country celebrates the victory of good over evil, Vedanta
Aluminium’s Project Sakhi is celebrating a quieter but equally powerful triumph, the triumph
of opportunity over constraint, of independence over dependence. The women of Kalahandi,
once defined primarily by their struggles, are now writing new stories of resilience, success,
and leadership.
