ISB and Samhita-CGF Empower 500 Rural Women Entrepreneurs Through Transformative Skill-Development Programmes
The partnership aims to double incomes for two million women entrepreneurs in five years
The Indian School of Business (ISB) Executive Education, in collaboration with Samhita-CGF, proudly announced the successful completion of its pilot Women’s Entrepreneurship Development Programme for the 2023-2024 period. This three-month initiative aimed at empowering rural women entrepreneurs has trained 500 aspiring businesswomen across five states: Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Gujarat, and Maharashtra. Building on the programme’s success, the current cohort of 550 women is being trained across seven blocks in Uttarakhand.
Developed as a joint initiative, the bespoke programme includes online modules by ISB Executive Education, focusing on essential business fundamentals, along with mentorship modules by Samhita-CGF, delivered in a hybrid format. The programme addresses socio-economic challenges and empowers women to develop entrepreneurial skills, enabling them to balance household responsibilities with business activities effectively. The participants are engaged in business development training, financial literacy workshops, marketing strategies, and digital skills development. Additionally, they benefit from mentorship and networking opportunities, which are integral to the programme. The first cohort demonstrated significant success, with the majority of participants embarking on entrepreneurial ventures or securing livelihood opportunities.
Sujatha Kumaraswamy, Executive Director, Executive Education and Digital Learning, ISB, remarked, “This partnership with Samhita-CGF marks a significant step towards empowering aspiring woman entrepreneurs in rural areas and providing them with the knowledge and insights needed to build and sustain successful businesses. We aim to promote and facilitate teaching excellence at ISB by offering mentoring, training, and resource support to create a social impact.”
Priya Naik, CEO and Founder of Samhita Social Venture Pvt Ltd, highlighted the broader impact of the initiative, stating, “Increasing women’s entrepreneurship is a national priority. With more women coming into the workforce and succeeding as entrepreneurs, we will see a material change in our GDP. We aim to double the incomes of 2 million women entrepreneurs over the next five years. We consider our partnership with ISB Executive Education as a movement where women entrepreneurs handhold each other towards shared success.”
Participants meeting the programme’s requirements received joint certification from ISB Executive Education and Samhita-CGF, recognising their dedication and achievement. The initiative also identified and further developed ‘Champions’ from the course, who serve as role models and change agents within their communities.
Click here to learn more about ISB Executive Education and Samhita-CGF’s social impact.
About ISB Executive Education
ISB Executive Education empowers participants with the skills, mindsets, and networks required to manage and lead in this evolving landscape, enabling them to achieve their distinct personal and professional goals. Recognised as #1 in India for the third consecutive year and #26 globally in the Financial Times (FT) Executive Education Custom Rankings 2024 and # 3 in India and #65 globally in the FT Executive Education Open Ranking 2023, ISB Executive Education is committed to preparing working professionals to excel in the new global business environment. This is achieved through fostering engaging exchanges between renowned industry leaders and academia and drawing globally renowned faculty from the world’s top business schools. Through meticulously designed programmes, participants gain from both advanced management research and the vast experiences of their peers, ensuring they are well-equipped to navigate the complexities of the modern business landscape.
About Samhita-CGF:
Samhita-CGF is committed to driving social impact through innovative programmes and partnerships. By focusing on entrepreneurship development, Samhita-CGF aims to create sustainable livelihoods and empower individuals, particularly women, to achieve economic independence.
