Goal

 

Unileverstarted Project Shakti in 2001 with the idea to empower women in rural India by creating livelihood opportunities. Since then, the Shakti model has been successfully replicated in villages across India. The model has also been adapted and evolved in other countries such as Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.

 

 

 

Action

 

Each woman is taught the various aspects of running a retail business, ranging from inventory control to distribution management. In the course, they are also introduced to HUL products, which they will eventually sell. The entire program nourishes them with skills, a micro-entrepreneur would need.

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Impact

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Project Shakti has created livelihood opportunities for more than 80,000 women across India. According to HUL, with the Shakti programme, the average income of a Shakti household can increase up to approximately 20 percent compared to average household incomes in the geographies

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Takeaway

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This unique humanitarian approach impacts the most unprivileged area and enriches their economy. While, making the rural women self-dependent and ambitious, this kind of project also helps uplift the company’s good will buying it some extra consumer appreciation, apart from aiding in penetrating new markets.