In a time when women-led startups are increasingly becoming a powerful force in India, women in Gujarat's peri-urban and rural areas are also making significant strides in entrepreneurship. A notable example is in the villages of Kutch district, where GHCL, a prominent soda ash manufacturer, has been running a CSR initiative to foster women’s economic empowerment.
GHCL has helped establish 45 self-help groups (SHGs) in Kutch, providing local women with a platform to engage in entrepreneurship and innovation. The company took a holistic approach by also training 60 women in sewing, enabling them to generate a sustainable income. In collaboration with the state’s Women and Child Development Department, GHCL conducted block-level workshops for around 240 women, informing them about government welfare schemes that can assist them and their villages in their development.
Further promoting skill development, GHCL set up a vocational training center in Mota Lajia village in partnership with the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC). This initiative focuses on developing employable skills among students. As a result, 27 General Duty Assistant trainees from the first batch achieved 100% placement, while 29 students who underwent Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) training have placements underway.
GHCL’s CSR projects are spread across 15 villages, including Bada, Pachotiya, Motalayaja, Nanalayaja, Bhisara, Janakpar, Bhada, Bayath, Padmpur, Mapar, Babhdai, Modkuba, Chagadai, Vindh, and Kokaliy. Together, these initiatives are making a direct impact on over 14,000 lives, setting the stage for a brighter, more sustainable future for the region’s women and their communities.
In addition to its social initiatives, GHCL has also made significant investments in Kutch. The company has invested nearly Rs 350 crore in setting up a salt field in the district and has recently received environmental clearance to set up a soda ash manufacturing plant in Bada village, Mandvi taluka, further contributing to the region’s economic growth.
