Bhawanipatna: Project Sakhi empowers over 4,600 women in Kalahandi

By Priyanka Samal

Bhawanipatna (Odisha), Oct. 8: More than 4,600 women, most of them tribals, in Odisha’s Kalahandi district have transformed their lives through Vedanta Aluminium’s flagship women empowerment initiative, Project Sakhi. Since its launch in 2015, the programme has mobilised women into 444 self-help groups (SHGs), facilitating over Rs 5 crore in financial support to promote entrepreneurship and self-reliance.

The initiative focuses on enhancing women’s financial literacy, providing access to credit, and offering vocational training for both farm and non-farm livelihood opportunities such as mushroom cultivation, goat-rearing, grocery shops, food processing, and small service units.

According to Vedanta Aluminium, nearly Rs 3.84 crore was mobilised last year alone through banks and financial institutions for SHGs, benefiting more than 1,000 women. So far, over 1,880 women have established around 1,300 small businesses under the project, significantly improving their household incomes and creating local employment.

“The success of this project doesn’t lie only in numbers; it’s a testament to the transformative power of a focused, grassroots approach. We are witnessing the beginning of a new era of self-reliance, where women are the primary architects of their lives,” said Pranab Kumar Bhattacharya, CEO, Vedanta Alumina Business.

One notable example is the Maa Shivani SHG of Balabhadrapur village, whose members set up a poultry unit after receiving training in poultry management. The enterprise has generated over Rs 1.27 lakh in revenue, boosting household earnings and elevating the women’s standing within their community.

In addition to promoting livelihoods, Project Sakhi has connected over 3,000 women to key government welfare schemes, including life and accident insurance, child savings programmes, and labour welfare registrations, ensuring greater social security for participating families.

Vedanta Aluminium officials said the initiative continues to build a foundation of financial independence and social empowerment among rural women. As the festive season begins, Project Sakhi celebrates what it calls the triumph of opportunity over constraint — enabling women of Kalahandi to emerge as symbols of resilience, success, and leadership.

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Photograph: Women empowered under the Project Sakhi