Hazira, Gujarat
Marking the International Women’s Day 2017, Essar Steel and Essar Foundation celebrated International Women’s Day with over 500 women from eight villages of Hazira in a colourful event held at Nand Niketan Township. Notably, 27 women from these eight villages were felicitated and awarded for their contribution to the society. The objective of this initiative is to bring out such change agents from the villages and recognize their endeavours on the eve of International Women’s Day. Women were felicitated for their commitment and dedication to development in three categories- community health, child health and nutrition and community welfare.
To make the event lively and participatory, women participants from each of the villages presented cultural performances like folk songs, plays and traditional dances. The initiative gives opportunity to the rural women from different villages to be on one platform, interact, share and celebrate empowerment and sisterhood. On 8th March 2017, trainees of Essar Lok Vikas Kendra showcased their skills of apparel design, beauty services and bakery with live demonstrations at an elaborate event marking Women’s Day 2017 at Essar House, Mumbai. Six of the women wowed the audience having shared their inspiring stories of change and empowerment through the new skills acquired for life and livelihood. The women at Essar Lok Vikas Kendras (skill training hubs) in Hazira area have definitely come a long way and have been living up to the theme of the year… Be Bold for Change.
Paradeep
More than 700 women and adolescent young girls participated in the events organized in their respective Panchayats. The day started with a rally on ‘Swachh Bharat Abhiyan’ by the Self Help Group’s (SHG) federation.
About 250 women and girl youth participated in the rally that started from Paradeepgarh village to the block gate, followed by mass ‘Swachhta Shapath’ (pledge for sanitation) administered by the president of SHG federation. During the rally women jointly cleaned roadside debris and waste lying in open, in which other members of public joined hands. Through motivational slogans, pamphlets and other educational materials, the message of waste management and household hygiene were promoted across villages.
