AROH Foundation has been implementing a pioneering range of women-empowerment initiatives to address various issues faced by them. It also provides them with opportunities to gain from various programs they conduct.

The foundation that was established in 2001 with the mission to provide effective assistance to the underprivileged, weak and marginalised individuals and communities, and especially women, in both rural and semi-rural areas, aims to eradicate poverty and uplift their situation.

When it comes to empowering women, whether, in rural or urban areas, the foundation has been working on various fronts to ensure their betterment.

The foundation has brought a meaningful transformation in the lives of more than 2.5 lakh poor women while touching the lives of more than 10 lakh women, indirectly.

The Foundation has been able to reach out to the most vulnerable sections of the society for women, such as in Naxalite areas, tribal communities of Chhattisgarh, terrains of Meghalaya, and amidst the challenging demographics of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra, Uttrakhand, Bengal etc.,

With their untiring efforts towards various aspects of women’s empowerment, it meets the most pressing requirement of the present times.

The foundation has been working on a twin strategy for skill development of women – imparting placement linked skills with a focus on training and identifying job employment opportunities for skilled women in industries, and also by imparting self-employment-linked skills focusing on training and finding entrepreneurial opportunities in suitable supply chains.

Skills and capacity building of women are given special emphasis on developing their entrepreneurial skills. This is done so that they can avail the opportunities arising from the business sector in a manner that is harmonious with their aspirations and needs.

Apart from employable skills, the focus is also on enhancing livelihoods through skill development of women in various traditional skills, farm and non-farm based activities which can help in enhancing their livelihood.

Apart from this, the foundation even has a partner agency with the Ministry of Rural Development for its flagship scheme called Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushal Yojna(DDUGKY, earlier known as SGSY).

Under this Government scheme, 4320 women have been skilled and 3740 placed in jobs in the organised sector nationally and internationally till now.

The foundation has women-friendly policies and practices that are followed all through the programmes from mobilisation to counselling, training and placement.

There are women counsellors also; placement is provided by gender-sensitive employers, who have safe and secure systems, and have the provision of safe accommodation for women.

About 33 per cent placement guarantee and reserved quota for women beneficiaries have proved to be an effective tool of women economic empowerment.

The women are being trained in many areas of workforce, such as, computer applications, retail, hospitality, sewing machine operators, nursing assistant, Industrial electricians, etc., after which they are placed in jobs.

The programme has impacted the lives of women, not only through economic empowerment but has immensely boosted their confidence and self-esteem.

It has also designed a pioneering model called ‘Garima’ to help women develop skills to enhance their income by learning a new trade or enhancing their skills in their existing vocation, such as allied agriculture, etc.

This radical strategic approach to empower women through this model has benefitted 10,000 women across India and eventually benefiting the entire households.

Dr Neelam Gupta, founder president of AROH shares at the foundation that they understand the emerging need to transform India’s youth into a skilled workforce, and issue of low female participation in the Indian economy has been a major challenge.

Keeping this problem in perspective, they’re dedicated to keeping the momentum going and want more women to work on their skills and empowering them through it.

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