Vedanta starts new initiative to aid women due to covid pandemic challenges

Vedanta Limited’s Lanjigarh has started ‘Sashakti Suvidha Kendra’ to help local women sustain their livelihood due to the various challenges posed by the covid pandemic.

G.G Pal, Dy. CEO – Alumina Business, inaugurated the initiative along with Javed Khan, Block Program Coordinator, Lanjigarh to enable women through financial empowerment especially when the entire nation faces the challenge of COVID-19.

It aims to cover over 3000 SHG members across 44 villages in the catchment of Vedanta Lanjigarh. The initiative plans to facilitatethe marketing and sales of various products made by the women’s self-help groups (SHGs)like turmeric, ragi, various spices, dry snacks, puffed rice, pulses, rice, paper plates, phenyl, soft brooms, etc. 

G.G. Pal, Deputy CEO – Alumina Business, said, “Vedanta has always made the effort to catalyze positive transformation in the lives of communities residing in the periphery of its operations.The women members of the SHGs in and around Lanjigarh have paved their path towards self-reliance and self-empowerment over the years and Vedanta is proud to be an enabler in their journey. Our Sashakti Suvidha Kendra will provide these spirited women entrepreneurs a platform to sell their products profitably and provide for their families, even amidst the pandemic.”

Javed Khan, Block Program Coordinator, Lanjigarh said, “I am glad that Vedanta and Shaktimayee Foundation have partnered to provide the opportunity and platform to the women of Lanjigarh, to become self-empowered. This initiative of providing a marketing facilitation centre will not only support the self-help groups in having a structured way of selling their products and gain due financial gains, but also help them cope up with the ongoing pandemic.”

The company also enlisted these SHGs to stitch masks for mass distribution among communities during lockdown, which provided them with an alternate source of income during the distressing times.