EDII and Accenture Empower Over 13,470 Women Micro-entrepreneurs Through WeAct

Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India (EDII) Ahmedabad, in collaboration with Accenture, has achieved a significant milestone in empowering women micro-entrepreneurs through their initiative, Women Entrepreneurs Access Connect Transform (WeAct). With a focus on empowering rural women entrepreneurs, WeAct has successfully trained and supported over 13,470 women across 17 states and 2 union territories in India.

The initiative has provided structured support to women in various sectors, including the Food & Agriculture industry, Handloom & Handicrafts sector, and household supplies, enabling them to build profitable and sustainable businesses. WeAct covers essential aspects such as market access, product development, access to finance, statutory compliance, and technological adoption, enhancing the competitiveness of women-led businesses.

One of the key aspects of WeAct is its focus on enabling women entrepreneurs to adopt technology effectively. This helps them streamline operations, improve efficiency, and compete more effectively in the market. The initiative also offers a range of business development services, including support in areas such as business planning, marketing, and management, helping women entrepreneurs enhance their business efficiency, increase profitability, and achieve sustainable growth.

Dr. Sunil Shukla, Director General of EDII, expressed his delight at the success of the initiative, highlighting the organization’s commitment to empowering women entrepreneurs and driving positive change in local economies. Dr. Raman Gujral, Director of the Department of Projects (Corporate) at EDII, emphasized the goal of fostering inclusive economic growth in rural communities, creating a conducive environment for women to thrive as successful entrepreneurs.

Under the leadership of Mr. Samuel Moses Amarnath, Head of WeAct, the initiative has initiated transformative programs to empower rural women entrepreneurs. These include new product development, elevating packaging standards, and embracing technological advancements such as online marketing, social media marketing, and digital payments. Innovative strategies have been implemented to unlock new potential clients and establish corporate relations, resulting in 100 exhibitions within various corporate premises and grassroots-level exhibitions conducted in 10 states and 29 districts pan India.

Key highlights of the initiative include the completion of over 3500 statutory compliance processes, onboarding of more than 2700 members onto e-commerce platforms like Amazon and Flipkart, provision of product development services to over 2800 members, participation of over 4000 members in energizer workshops and exposure visits, involvement of over 1000 members in exhibitions, resulting in revenue generation of ₹79 lakhs, facilitation of financial assistance totaling ₹45 lakhs, and measuring enterprise revenue growth impact of ₹2.5 Crores after WeAct’s intervention.

The success of WeAct underscores the importance of empowering women entrepreneurs and creating a supportive ecosystem for their growth and success. With continued support and innovative initiatives, WeAct aims to further empower women micro-entrepreneurs, driving sustainable development and inclusive growth in India.