MG Motor India has launched a creative mentorship program ‘WOMENTORSHIP’, in line with its commitment to both community and diversity. This is in collaboration with Women Who Win.
To uplift more women, MG has selected five social women entrepreneurs who have previously embarked upon creating prosperity for the underserved section of society. For scaling the social ventures to fresh heights and empower and create jobs for more women in society, MG Motor India will provide the platform for these women entrepreneurs. The 5 social women entrepreneurs include Rupali Saini, Smita Dugar, Phoolbasan Bai Yadav, Bharti Trivedi and Jabeen Jambughodawala. Indian actress and social activist, Nandita Das, was the Guest of Honor, during the launch of the program.
Since 2001, Smita Dugar has been working with women, passed on her design and craft knowledge to the marginalised segment. One village has now expanded to 30 villages and 1,500 artisans. A movement named ‘KAVACH’ is led by Bharti Trivedi. Bharti, a teacher by profession, was stirred by seeing the level of hygiene amongst girl children and their sexual awareness in remote regions. 20,000 girls across the country have received menstrual hygiene kits so far as a part of the initiative.
Working closely with the tribal women of East Gujarat is Jabeen Jambughodawala. A means of livelihood is provided by her along with training, to the stay-at-home-women population. With her work, she has trained and empowered 1,500 artisans. So that they can live with honour, Jabeen further organises Artisan Pehchan Patra. In a remote area of Chhattisgarh, Phoolbasan Bai Yadav started a movement with 18 women in dairy products. Through Jhimikhan farming and Aggarbatti making, she is leading the community to empower women.
A young entrepreneur, Rupali Saini, left her job to help the women of Panchkula and keep the dying art of crochet alive. When the child outgrows a toy, one can reclaim yarn from a toy and reuse it in any craft that involves yarn, using this technique, thus resulting in zero wastage. Rupali trains and provides raw material to women. She can also provide training with sign language.
Speaking on the initiative, Mr. Rajeev Chaba, President & Managing Director, MG Motor India, said, “As a progressive, cause-driven brand, MG has always driven efforts to empower more women in society. The WOMENTORSHIP program is a testimony to our commitment to enable job creation which could impact thousands of people. It is an attempt to perhaps get one step closer to create an ecosystem in which women train, support, and uplift each other.”
Congratulating the women entrepreneurs, Nandita Das, Indian Actress and Director, said, “I am glad to again be part of a MG initiative that recognises the contribution of women entrepreneurs. It takes a lot for a woman to overcome challenges and against all odds stand up for the vision and mission she believes in. If we limit women, we are simply limiting half of the global population. It is heartening to be a part of MG once again in an initiative wherein I can clearly see the impact as well as how far the foundation that we’re today laying goes.”
For WOMENTORSHIP MG has partnered with “Women Who Win” – a group that believes in the power of sisterhood to empower women entrepreneurs, start-ups, professionals, and homemakers. Women Who Win spokesperson Simmi Bhasin said, “Women don’t need reasons for ‘why they can’t’. They just need guidance for ‘how they can’. We believe that our partnership with MG for WOMENTORSHIP goes a long way in catalysing changes taking place on the ground today that will build a better future.”
In its Halol manufacturing facility situated in Vadodara, Gujarat, MG manufactured its 50,000th Hector with an all-women crew. With 33% of its employees being women, MG Motor India has high women workforce ratio. The development created a new global yardstick in the automotive segment, where women-only teams led everything from panel-pressing of sheet metal and welding to painting jobs and post-production test runs.
