Our Story

Women's equality can only become a reality once they are economically empowered. And what better way to achieve this than through entrepreneurship?

It all began with Sakhi, a CSR initiative of Hindustan Zinc, that set out to mobilise women in remote rural parts of Rajasthan and Uttarakhand, bringing them into institutions that empower. By joining Self Help Groups (SHGs), women gained opportunities to acquire new skills, become entrepreneurs, and establish their own micro-enterprises. To date, Sakhi has successfully formed nearly 3000 SHGs, with a collective membership exceeding 30,000 women. The initiative has facilitated total savings of Rs 10.5 crore and cumulative loans amounting to Rs 26 crore.

As time progressed, multiple SHGs united to form Sakhi Utpadan Samiti, a a fully women-owned and women-led social enterprise formed in August 2021. SUS ventured into manufacturing their own range of products. With the assistance of technical support and guidance in areas such as product design, packaging, and prototyping, these women began producing world-class items, building a brand capable of competing in today’s market.