• NITI Aayog’s Women Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP) and Reliance Foundation felicitate outstanding Rural Women Kirana Entrepreneurs
• The initiative supported women-led kirana stores across three districts of Madhya Pradesh through digital and financial capacity building, market access, and business planning.

New Delhi, July 23, 2026: Five outstanding women kirana entrepreneurs were felicitated by the Women Entrepreneurship Platform incubated at NITI Aayog in partnership with Reliance Foundation under the Empowering Rural Women Kirana Entrepreneurs (RWKEs) ATR pilot programme at a special event held at NITI recently.

The felicitation ceremony in Delhi was attended by Dr. Joram Aniya, Member, NITI Aayog; Ms. Anna Roy, Mission Director, WEP and Programme Director, NITI Aayog; Ms. Deepthi Nukalapati, Chief - Women Empowerment, Reliance Foundation; and Ms. Sonal Jaitly, Associate Partner and Global Lead – GEDSI, MicroSave Consulting (MSC), along with the awardees and their family members. The five outstanding women entrepreneurs who were felicitated were presented with a grant of INR 1,00,000 each in recognition of their entrepreneurial commitment and progress.

The five women entrepreneurs represented inspiring examples of resilience, adaptability, and entrepreneurial leadership within their communities. During the ceremony they shared their learning experiences and vision ahead to expand their business implementing the techniques and knowledge gained through the training programme.

Empowering Rural Women Kirana Entrepreneurs (RWKEs), a pilot initiative by Reliance Foundation, in partnership with the Women Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP), and implemented with MicroSave Consulting (MSC) as the technical partner to strengthen women-led kirana stores across the districts of Barwani, Vidisha, and Raisen in Madhya Pradesh.

The programme was designed in recognition of the critical role that rural women entrepreneurs play in supporting household incomes and local economies, while acknowledging the structural barriers that often constrain the growth of their enterprises. Through targeted capacity-building and handholding support, the programme focused on four key areas: financial capability, digital adoption, market orientation, and business planning.

Since its launch, the RWKE programme has delivered 1,200+ hours of structured learning across 175+ training sessions spanning 6 blocks (Barwani, Pati, Ganj Basoda, Vidisha, Obedullaganj, and Sanchi) across 3 districts (Vidisha, Raisen, and Barwani), reaching 108 women entrepreneurs.

Delivered in local languages through participatory sessions, the capacity-building curriculum equips women with practical skills from budgeting to bookkeeping, from supplier linkages to inventory and enterprise growth planning.

The programme underscores the importance of collaborative efforts between public and private sector stakeholders in strengthening rural entrepreneurship ecosystems. By combining institutional support, technical expertise, and on-ground implementation, the initiative has created a structured pathway for rural women entrepreneurs to enhance their business capabilities and improve enterprise outcomes.

The RWKE programme also highlights the growing role of women-led kirana stores as vital nodes in rural supply chains and local economies. Through targeted interventions, such programmes could improve business resilience, increase digital adoption, and enable better financial and operational decision-making among women entrepreneurs. Reliance Foundation has a deep commitment to women’s empowerment through various pathways, including economic empowerment and entrepreneurship to catalyse impact not just for the individual but for society as a whole.

About the WEP

The Women Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP), incubated in NITI Aayog in 2018 and transitioned into a public-private partnership in 2022, serves as India's national platform for strengthening the women's entrepreneurship ecosystem through collaborations with public and private sector partners.

At the core of WEP’s programmatic interventions is the Award-to-Reward (ATR) programme - a cohort-based, sector-specific accelerator for women entrepreneurs, designed for contextual adaptation across sectors and geographies, enabling implementing partners to tailor interventions to specific entrepreneurial ecosystems.

Round Two Funding Call Opens for Indian non-profits

• Six grantees selected in the first round will reach nearly one million women over 15–18 months with scalable digital solutions spanning health, livelihoods, and public education to reduce the gender digital divide.
• Round 2 ‘Request for Applications’ is open, inviting Indian non-profits to apply for funding of up to INR 4.2 crore to scale high-impact, replication-ready digital solutions.

New Delhi, July 16, 2026: The SheConnects Digital Accelerator, a joint initiative of Reliance Foundation and Gates Foundation, marked two major milestones in India with the announcement of the six non-profit organisations selected in Round 1, who will together reach nearly one million women, and the launch of the Request for Applications for the next round of grants.

The announcements were made in Delhi on Wednesday, bringing key stakeholders from government, academia, philanthropic, civil society, and technology ecosystems.

The SheConnects Digital Accelerator: India aims to advance women’s digital inclusion by scaling proven, high-impact solutions that enable women and girls to participate fully in the digital world, improving their lives and livelihoods. The Accelerator aims to catalyse innovative partnerships, strengthen evidence on what works, foster south-to-south learning, and help shape a more inclusive digital ecosystem. GSMA Foundation will support selected awardees in India with capacity-building bootcamps and peer-to-peer learning, alongside technical support to enhance effectiveness and efficiency of the digital solutions and programmes that awardees are creating for women.

Speaking at the event, Ms Deepthi Reddy, Chief – Women Empowerment, Reliance Foundation, detailed the Accelerator's vision for India and officially announced the opening of Round 2. "Empowering women with tools and confidence to participate fully in the digital world is essential to a more equitable future. When empowered women are at the centre, they drive more than their own journey and catalyse transformation in society. At Reliance Foundation, it has been our long-standing commitment to identify and encourage scale-up of transformative solutions. We are excited to welcome the first cohort of our valuable partners who bring unique ideas for driving this mission forward together," she said.

Ms Saachi Bhalla, Deputy Director – Gender Equality, Gates Foundation, added perspectives from the Gates Foundation. “The SheConnects Digital Accelerator represents an important opportunity for non-profit organizations to develop and scale solutions that advance women’s meaningful digital inclusion, while generating practical evidence that can inform efforts across India and the Global South. Ultimately, the success of digital transformation will not be measured by the sophistication of our technologies, but by whether they improve people’s lives. Through the SheConnects Digital Accelerator, we have an opportunity to ensure that innovation is both inclusive and impactful”.

Following a rigorous evaluation process, six non-profit organizations were selected for the inaugural round of grants with a collective commitment of INR 25.84 crore for this round, to deploy evidence-based digital solutions across India. In total, the Round 1 portfolio is projected to impact nearly one million individuals.

The initiative's grantees include:

• Project Concern International (PCI) India, to drive economic resilience and digital agency for rural women through its government-backed 'EmpowerHer' platform in Odisha.
• M. S. Swaminathan Research Foundation, to enhance agency of coastal fisherwomen across five states through digital skills and post-harvest facilities.
• Myna Mahila Foundation, leveraging Myna Bolo chatbot to expand last-mile healthcare access.
• Digital Empowerment Foundation, to support rural women entrepreneurs through Soochnapreneur Business Mitras and one-stop centres across four states.
• A Society for Promotion of Inclusive and Relevant Education (ASPIRE), combining shared infrastructure with community-based training for women across four states.
• Chaitanya, to equip self-help group (SHG) members with digital skills to navigate restrictive social practices and unlock economic advancement.

The SheConnects Digital Accelerator also announced the launch of applications for Round Two, inviting Indian non-profits to apply for funding where each selected grantee will be eligible for grants of up to INR 4.2 crore per project. The funding is designed for projects spanning 15 to 18 months that target post-pilot, scale-stage solutions with high potential for scalability and sustainability.

The Accelerator seeks innovative, woman-centred designs combining technology (such as AI, chatbots and regional language tools) with behaviour change communications. The initiative also envisages sharing research and insights from the outcomes of these initiatives to inform the wider ecosystem.

In addition to grants, the selected organisations will be part of expert bootcamps, technical MEL assistance, and learning exchanges.

Applications must be submitted in English through a two-step online process via the official application portal by 04 September 2026, 11:59 PM IST. More information on: https://www.reliancefoundation.org/media/updates/SheConnects.

Enquiries can be directed to: SheConnectsDigitalAccelerator@gsma.com.

The compendium Best Practices in Women Enterprises and Collectives in Odisha presents a rich documentation of women-led enterprise models emerging from rural Odisha under the Swayamshree programme, a joint initiative of Reliance Foundation and the Gates Foundation. Launched in 2023, the programme aims to strengthen women’s entrepreneurship and livelihoods across Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and Odisha by building sustainable enterprises and enabling higher household incomes for rural women.

This publication captures eight best practice case studies from six districts of Odisha, covering farm, allied, off-farm, and non-farm livelihood sectors. The cases reflect how women’s collectives, producer groups, and grassroots institutions are driving livelihood transformation through enterprise development, market linkages, technology adoption, and institutional convergence. From horticulture clusters and mushroom cultivation to Sambalpuri handloom value chains, goatery enterprises, women-led market platforms, and grassroots entrepreneurship mentors, the publication highlights diverse pathways of women’s economic empowerment and agency.

A key strength of this compendium is its ecosystem-oriented perspective. Rather than focusing only on individual success stories, the publication analyses how Mission Shakti institutions, community cadres, Self-Help Groups, and rural livelihood systems collectively create enabling environments for enterprise growth. The publication is grounded in primary field research, with a strong focus on qualitative methods and community-level insights. It also applies a rigorous analytical framework combining value chain analysis, women’s economic empowerment, and livelihoods systems perspectives, making the insights relevant for practitioners, researchers, and development organisations.

The publication contributes valuable field-based knowledge on scalable and replicable enterprise models for women in rural India. It offers practical lessons on strengthening local institutions, promoting inclusive value chains, and building resilient livelihood ecosystems that can inform broader development interventions, policy practice, and investments in women-led rural entrepreneurship.

• In India, the SheConnects Digital Accelerator will be supported by Reliance Foundation and Gates Foundation.
• SheConnects Digital Accelerator will also promote knowledge sharing in India and Sub-Saharan Africa.
• The INR 200-crore initiative will scale high-impact solutions over the next three years. The Accelerator includes grants to scale high-impact evidence-backed solutions for women’s digital inclusion in India and Sub Saharan Africa.

Mumbai / Delhi, 6th May 2026: A new initiative to strengthen and accelerate women’s digital inclusion – the SheConnects Digital Accelerator, was announced today by Reliance Foundation and the Gates Foundation. The Accelerator aims to improve lives and livelihoods of women and girls through adoption of proven, high-impact digital solutions. Over the next three years, the INR 200 Crore initiative will provide an important Global South platform to support locally led innovations that advance women’s digital inclusion.

In India, the SheConnects Digital Accelerator will be supported by Reliance Foundation and will identify and scale high-impact evidence-backed solutions. Working together with Gates Foundation, the Accelerator will also help to promote South-South knowledge sharing, especially between India and Sub Saharan Africa.

Over the last decade, India and Sub-Saharan Africa have made significant progress in enabling digital access, participation and opportunities for women. The SheConnects Digital Accelerator aims to further advance solutions that are helping to reduce the gender digital divide through a three-pronged approach:

1. Scaling evidence-backed solutions through grants or awards and/or technical advisory support
2. Promoting South-South learning and collaboration among awardees
3. Supporting the ecosystem to adopt practices that work

“Empowering women with the tools and confidence to participate fully in the digital world is essential to a more equitable future. When empowered women are at the centre, they have shown that they drive more than their own journey and catalyse transformation in society. In India, Reliance Foundation will support the SheConnects Digital Accelerator to scale up solutions to close the gender digital divide, and enhance women’s agency. Over the next three years, as we identify and support efforts to advance digital inclusion for women in India, we look forward to sharing innovations and learnings from India with the Global South,” said Ms N Deepthi Reddy, Chief – Women Empowerment, Reliance Foundation.

“Across the Global South, women continue to face systemic barriers to accessing and benefiting from digital technologies. Countries like India and several African nations have made considerable strides in advancing digital inclusion, creating important momentum and lessons for broader adaptation. The SheConnects Digital Accelerator is an opportunity to support locally led innovations that address these challenges in contextually relevant ways. By fostering collaboration and learning across regions, we hope to accelerate progress toward a more inclusive digital future for women,” said Ms Saachi Bhalla, Deputy Director – Gender Equality, Gates Foundation.

The SheConnects Digital Accelerator in India builds on Reliance Foundation’s long-standing commitment to women’s inclusion and digital empowerment since 2010. Over the past three years alone, Reliance Foundation has fostered innovative culturally rooted solutions that have improved access to digital technologies for over 600,000 women across India.

By advancing digital adoption for women, the SheConnects Digital Accelerator aims to contribute significantly to the global goal of halving the digital gender gap by 2030, as declared by G20 Leaders during India’s presidency in 2023, for a more inclusive and prosperous future for all.

About the SheConnects Digital Accelerator

The SheConnects Digital Accelerator was founded by the Reliance Foundation and Gates Foundation to advance women’s digital inclusion. The Accelerator aims to scale proven, high-impact solutions that enable women and girls to participate fully in the digital world, improving their lives and livelihoods.

The Accelerator grants are supported by Reliance Foundation in India and by Gates Foundation in Sub Saharan Africa. By catalysing innovative partnerships and use cases, the Accelerator will strengthen evidence on what works, foster south-to-south learning, and help shape a more inclusive global digital ecosystem.

Digital connectivity is opening new pathways for women to engage in economic activities and access essential services. It strengthens agency, builds resilience, and enhances participation in household and community decision-making.

This publication, emerging from Reliance Foundation’s WomenConnect Challenge India, distils key learnings from grassroots initiatives across the country. It shows how integrating digital literacy with livelihoods, particularly through Self-Help Groups and community networks, can translate skills into tangible economic opportunities.

Drawing on the work of seven awardee organisations — Manjari Foundation, Yugantar, SeSTA, Digital Empowerment Foundation, The Goat Trust, ACCESS Development Services, and M. S. Swaminathan Research Foundation — it outlines five interconnected strategies for advancing meaningful digital inclusion. The publication also highlights how a holistic approach to digital access ensures that solutions are responsive to women’s diverse needs and enable sustained engagement and informed decision-making.

• Leverages the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology’s (MeitY) Information Security Education and Awareness (ISEA) Programme
• C-DAC, Hyderabad and Reliance Foundation will jointly deliver Cyber Security Awareness Training to empower Cyber Sakhis across rural India
• e-SafeHER aims to build a gender-responsive, community-led model for cyber-safe digital inclusion reaching one million women across India over three years.

New Delhi, April 13, 2026: Reliance Foundation and C-DAC, Hyderabad, a scientific society under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Government of India (GoI), today announced the launch of e-SafeHER, a Cyber Security Awareness Training programme to enable one million women across rural India, to safely and confidently participate in the digital ecosystem.

This initiative is anchored under MeitY’s Information Security Education and Awareness (ISEA) programme through C-DAC Hyderabad, enabling content and training material for dissemination. Reliance Foundation will catalyse dissemination in rural communities across India, working in particular through women’s Self-Help Groups (SHGs). This initiative is another step forward in Reliance Foundation’s work to strengthen digital inclusion for women. e-SafeHER aims to strengthen last mile cybersecurity awareness – particularly among women in rural India, who are increasingly engaging with digital platforms for financial transactions, livelihoods, and access to essential services.

The strategic collaboration between C-DAC, Hyderabad, and Reliance Foundation on cybersecurity awareness involves structured training and community-based interventions. Speaking on the launch of the initiative, Shri S Krishnan, IAS., Secretary MeitY, said “In an era where the Government of India is pushing for capacity, collaboration and resilience to ensure that we reach across the length and breadth of the country towards a Cyber Secure Bharat, e-SafeHER is an exciting opportunity where we will bring together the curriculum and knowledge of the MeitY’s Information Security Education and Awareness (ISEA) programme. Through C-DAC working together with Reliance Foundation, this initiative will enable women from the remotest rural regions to be safe, seen and empowered. We look forward to a model initiative that can be replicated and scaled up with like-minded partners across the country.”

Ms Isha Ambani, Director, Reliance Foundation said, "Rural women in India are coming online faster than ever. Reliance Foundation is committed to not just accelerating women’s digital inclusion but also to equipping them with the knowledge and skills to stay safe. We are pleased to partner with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), GoI and C-DAC to provide cyber security awareness training through ‘e-SafeHER’ which aims to enable women to build the skills and knowledge to stay safe online, as they utilise the power of digital to strengthen their lives and livelihoods. Through this initiative we aim to empower one million Cyber Sakhis in rural India over the next three years, helping them build safe online practices so they embrace the digital world with confidence.”

C-DAC will lead the development, localization, and continuous enhancement of cybersecurity training content under the ISEA Project, including multilingual adaptation. Reliance Foundation will leverage its extensive grassroots presence and women’s empowerment platforms across rural India, for delivery through a peer-led, community-based model.

In a phased approach, beginning with training of Cyber Sakhis across Madhya Pradesh, and Odisha, the initiative will scale to one million women by 2029 through multi-stakeholder partnerships. Designed for scale and sustainability, cybersecurity awareness is embedded into existing women’s empowerment and digital literacy programmes, ensuring continuity without parallel infrastructure. Localized content, audio-visual modules, and blended learning approaches will enhance accessibility and engagement. e-safeHER will drive measurable behavioural outcomes, including improved cyber risks awareness, increased confidence in digital transactions, and adoption of safe digital practices by participants. Insights from implementation will contribute to evidence-based scale-up and policy integration across the country.

Reliance Foundation is committed to empower women across India to achieve their potential and create transformational change with wide ranging women empowerment initiatives including leadership capacity building, strengthening women’s entrepreneurship, digital literacy, employment and skills development, improving women’s health and enhancing women’s opportunities in education, sports and arts. e-SafeHER builds on this on-ground work creating a woman-centric safety net to enable greater confidence in digital skills for women across India’s rural hinterlands.

By combining MeitY’s national cybersecurity framework, C-DAC’s technical expertise, and Reliance Foundation’s community-driven delivery model, e-SafeHER seeks to ensure that women across rural India are not only digitally included, but also digitally secure.

About MeitY
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Government of India, is responsible for policy formulation and implementation in the areas of electronics, IT, and digital technologies. Through initiatives such as the Information Security Education and Awareness (ISEA) Program, MeitY is strengthening cybersecurity education, awareness and capacity building across the country.

About C-DAC
The Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) is an autonomous scientific society under MeitY, Government of India. It plays a key role in research, development, and deployment of advanced computing and cybersecurity solutions, including implementation of national programs such as ISEA.

• Leverages the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology’s (MeitY) Information Security Education and Awareness (ISEA) Programme
• C-DAC, Hyderabad and Reliance Foundation will jointly deliver Cyber Security Awareness Training to empower Cyber Sakhis across rural India
• e-SafeHER aims to build a gender-responsive, community-led model for cyber-safe digital inclusion reaching one million women across India over three years.

New Delhi, April 13, 2026: Reliance Foundation and C-DAC, Hyderabad, a scientific society under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Government of India (GoI), today announced the launch of e-SafeHER, a Cyber Security Awareness Training programme to enable one million women across rural India, to safely and confidently participate in the digital ecosystem.

This initiative is anchored under MeitY’s Information Security Education and Awareness (ISEA) programme through C-DAC Hyderabad, enabling content and training material for dissemination. Reliance Foundation will catalyse dissemination in rural communities across India, working in particular through women’s Self-Help Groups (SHGs). This initiative is another step forward in Reliance Foundation’s work to strengthen digital inclusion for women. e-SafeHER aims to strengthen last mile cybersecurity awareness – particularly among women in rural India, who are increasingly engaging with digital platforms for financial transactions, livelihoods, and access to essential services.

The strategic collaboration between C-DAC, Hyderabad, and Reliance Foundation on cybersecurity awareness involves structured training and community-based interventions. Speaking on the launch of the initiative, Shri S Krishnan, IAS., Secretary MeitY, said “In an era where the Government of India is pushing for capacity, collaboration and resilience to ensure that we reach across the length and breadth of the country towards a Cyber Secure Bharat, e-SafeHER is an exciting opportunity where we will bring together the curriculum and knowledge of the MeitY’s Information Security Education and Awareness (ISEA) programme. Through C-DAC working together with Reliance Foundation, this initiative will enable women from the remotest rural regions to be safe, seen and empowered. We look forward to a model initiative that can be replicated and scaled up with like-minded partners across the country.”

Ms Isha Ambani, Director, Reliance Foundation said, "Rural women in India are coming online faster than ever. Reliance Foundation is committed to not just accelerating women’s digital inclusion but also to equipping them with the knowledge and skills to stay safe. We are pleased to partner with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), GoI and C-DAC to provide cyber security awareness training through ‘e-SafeHER’ which aims to enable women to build the skills and knowledge to stay safe online, as they utilise the power of digital to strengthen their lives and livelihoods. Through this initiative we aim to empower one million Cyber Sakhis in rural India over the next three years, helping them build safe online practices so they embrace the digital world with confidence.”

C-DAC will lead the development, localization, and continuous enhancement of cybersecurity training content under the ISEA Project, including multilingual adaptation. Reliance Foundation will leverage its extensive grassroots presence and women’s empowerment platforms across rural India, for delivery through a peer-led, community-based model.

In a phased approach, beginning with training of Cyber Sakhis across Madhya Pradesh, and Odisha, the initiative will scale to one million women by 2029 through multi-stakeholder partnerships. Designed for scale and sustainability, cybersecurity awareness is embedded into existing women’s empowerment and digital literacy programmes, ensuring continuity without parallel infrastructure. Localized content, audio-visual modules, and blended learning approaches will enhance accessibility and engagement. e-safeHER will drive measurable behavioural outcomes, including improved cyber risks awareness, increased confidence in digital transactions, and adoption of safe digital practices by participants. Insights from implementation will contribute to evidence-based scale-up and policy integration across the country.

Reliance Foundation is committed to empower women across India to achieve their potential and create transformational change with wide ranging women empowerment initiatives including leadership capacity building, strengthening women’s entrepreneurship, digital literacy, employment and skills development, improving women’s health and enhancing women’s opportunities in education, sports and arts. e-SafeHER builds on this on-ground work creating a woman-centric safety net to enable greater confidence in digital skills for women across India’s rural hinterlands.

By combining MeitY’s national cybersecurity framework, C-DAC’s technical expertise, and Reliance Foundation’s community-driven delivery model, e-SafeHER seeks to ensure that women across rural India are not only digitally included, but also digitally secure.

About MeitY
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Government of India, is responsible for policy formulation and implementation in the areas of electronics, IT, and digital technologies. Through initiatives such as the Information Security Education and Awareness (ISEA) Program, MeitY is strengthening cybersecurity education, awareness and capacity building across the country.

About C-DAC
The Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) is an autonomous scientific society under MeitY, Government of India. It plays a key role in research, development, and deployment of advanced computing and cybersecurity solutions, including implementation of national programs such as ISEA.

“When women lead, we make impossible change a reality”, says Ms Isha Ambani.

• Women social sector leaders and social entrepreneurs from across India, selected for their work in Climate Resilience, Education, Livelihoods and Sports for Development
• The Fellows will be engaged in a 10-month structured programme with access to a network of global leaders and experts
• Through the second round of this Fellowship, Reliance Foundation is taking forward its agenda for women empowerment to enhance India’s development sector ecosystem

Reliance Foundation and Vital Voices are excited to announce the selection of 50 exceptional women chosen for the 2024-2025 WomenLeaders India Fellowship. This second cohort of the Fellowship identifies women with deep commitment to driving change and change within their communities as social sector leaders and social entrepreneurs.

During India’s G20 Presidency in 2023 the focus shifted for the first time, from women’s development to women-led development. India’s collective and unwavering dedication to champion ‘Gender Equality and Empowering All Women and Girls’ secured a firm place in the G20 New Delhi Leaders’ Declaration.

In line with this vision, the WomenLeaders India Fellowship will provide leadership capacity building for talented women leaders, including social sector leaders and social entrepreneurs.

The WomenLeaders India Fellowship 2024-2025 kicked off with an in-person convening in Mumbai on September 13-14, 2024, where the Fellows had the opportunity to connect and learn from a range of experts in the social sector from India and around the world.

Speaking on the launch announcement, Ms Isha Ambani, Director Reliance Foundation said, “When women lead, we make impossible positive change a reality, we bring new ideas and perspectives to the table. Congratulations to the 50 Fellows selected for WomenLeaders India Fellowship 2024-25 powered by Reliance Foundation and Vital Voices! The strong networks, joy and learning that women bring to other women, is the foundation of this Fellowship to strengthen and amplify social sector impact. We are privileged to be part of this programme in creating transformations together for the social sector.”

“We are thrilled to partner with Reliance Foundation to support India’s next generation of women leaders who are truly at the forefront of driving social change. We believe that by harnessing and leveraging our collective network and resources, we are able to provide women leaders with support, mentorship and guidance as they strive to be a catalyst for change in India and beyond,” said Ms Alyse Nelson, President and CEO of Vital Voices Global Partnership.

Throughout the next ten months, the Fellows will work on their own personalized project to advance the SDGs (sustainable development goals), and will be supported with leadership development webinar trainings with Indian and global experts, to enhance their unique skill set and build their network. Additionally, each Fellow will have access to mentors for personalised guidance for the duration of their journey, as well as having the opportunity for peer to peer learning from the current and alumni Fellows. The WomenLeaders India Fellowship will end with a final in-person gathering where Fellows will reflect on their overall progress on their SDG projects and celebrate their accomplishments. WomenLeaders India seeks to build a strong community of women leaders in the social sector and ignite sustainable change across India by leveraging the power of women-led development across India.

The WomenLeaders India Fellows 2024-25 are recognised for their impactful work across four critical areas: Climate Resilience, Education, Sports for Development, and Livelihood Generation, using innovative solutions to address some of India’s most pressing challenges. From empowering future generations to transforming communities, these Fellows are leading efforts for lasting economic, social, and environmental change, advancing gender equality and strengthening community resilience through collaborative, forward-thinking initiatives and are true catalysts for change.

In the inaugural cohort in December 2022, Fellows were selected for their work on Education, Rural Transformation, strengthening livelihoods, as well as Sports for Development from various organisations, working at the grassroots level across rural and semi-urban areas of the country. Working on a range of issues and geographies from waste management in southern coastal villages to affordable energy sources in north-east India the first cohort Fellows reported increased leadership opportunities, enhanced confidence and improved participation in SDG-related projects in their work.

Learn more about the Fellows and follow the programme on social media using #WomenLeadersIndia.

• The WomenLeaders India Fellowship is looking for true catalysts for change, who are building climate resilience, enhancing access to sports, advancing educational initiatives, and strengthening livelihoods.
• Over ten months, the programme aims to empower 50 exceptional women social sector leaders and social entrepreneurs from across India, each dedicated to driving transformative change within their communities.
• In 2023, India’s G20 Presidency shifted the focus from women’s development to women-led development. This Fellowship aims to strengthen this vision by providing leadership capacity building for talented women leaders.

Following the success of the inaugural WomenLeaders India Fellowship powered by Reliance Foundation and Vital Voices to nurture women leaders in the social sector in 2022-23, Reliance Foundation and Vital Voices are thrilled to launch the call for applications for the 2024-25 cohort.

In 2023, India’s G20 Presidency shifted focus for the first time, from women’s development to women-led development. India’s collective and unwavering dedication to champion ‘Gender Equality and Empowering All Women and Girls’ secured a firm place in the G20 New Delhi Leaders’ Declaration

In line with this vision, the WomenLeaders India Fellowship will provide leadership capacity building for talented women leaders, including social sector leaders and social entrepreneurs. The WomenLeaders India Fellowship is looking for true catalysts for change, who are building climate resilience, enhancing access to sports, advancing educational initiatives, and promoting economic self-sufficiency through livelihood strengthening.

Over ten months, the programme aims to empower 50 exceptional women leaders from across India, each dedicated to driving transformative change within their communities. The future cohort will be selected for their ground-breaking work in Climate Resilience (including Disaster Risk Reduction), Sports for Development, Education (by strengthening early childhood care and education or addressing foundational literacy and numeracy), and Livelihood Generation at the grassroots. All Fellows will also work on their innovative projects aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through the Fellowship, benefiting from mentor and peer support.

The applications are open from July 1, 2024 to July 28, 2024, 23:59 IST.
(Apply now: Click here)

The Fellowship starts in September 2024, beginning and ending with in-person convenings in India. In the intervening months, the programme includes a blend of virtual webinars and community gatherings focused on leadership and skills development with leading Indian and international experts. Each selected Fellow will also benefit from personalised mentorship to support their leadership journey, as well as peer-to-peer engagement.

The Fellowship training focuses on leadership capacity building and skills development and is designed to ultimately strengthen the leadership of the participants and increase the success of their ventures and efforts. The Fellows will also benefit from joining a vibrant WomenLeaders India Fellowship alumni community. This will provide opportunities for visibility and networking at the national and international levels, through the Reliance Foundation and Vital Voices network.

The programme will culminate with a final in-person gathering, where Fellows will present their impactful projects aligned with the SDGs, where selected winning projects will receive a grant award to help scale their project further.

In December 2022, fifty inspiring women from India’s social sector were identified for the inaugural Fellowship. The Fellows in the inaugural cohort were selected for their work on Education, Rural Transformation, strengthening livelihoods, as well as Sports for Development. This dynamic, and intergenerational cohort hailed from various organisations, working at the grassroots level across rural and semi-urban areas of the country. The Fellows included social sector leaders and social entrepreneurs working on a range of issues and geographies from waste management in southern coastal villages to affordable energy sources in north-east India.

Watch this video to see the glimpses from the previous cohort’s convening and graduation ceremony: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ieHp6nPAWpo

Together, we look forward to elevating a new generation of women-led development in India.
Applications close on July 28, 2024, 23:59 IST.

To learn more and apply, visit: Women Leadership