Vivel, ITC’s personal care brand, has collaborated with the professional feminist organisation, Azad Foundation, to launch Parvaz – a feminist leadership programme to help transform communities. The mission is to equip young women with comprehensive training to become community leaders and catalysts for local change.
The year-long training combines four phases of residential training and on-ground interphase work with Azad outreach and mobilisation teams. The training enables an understanding of women’s rights and entitlements, enhances soft skills like communication, personality, self and behaviour, provides conceptual clarity on non-traditional livelihoods, related social issues and supports them to opt for non-traditional livelihoods.
Sameer Satpathy, Chief Executive, Personal Care Products Business, ITC Limited, said, “Vivel with its brand philosophy Ab Samjhauta Nahin enables purpose and a deep-rooted conviction to empower women at the grassroots. We are happy to partner with Azad Foundation in this journey to help facilitate self-action and access to information through various direct outreach efforts.”
29 young women have enrolled for the programme in Delhi in 2018. After the training, they will take a lead on various right-based projects in their communities. As a result of an outreach by these empowered women, we hope to reach 29,000 women directly in Delhi with information and support with access to government social schemes and non-traditional livelihoods with dignity. The leaders are also provided with guidance to implement their own projects based on specific needs of their community.
Rooted in its core brand philosophy Ab Samjhauta Nahin, Vivel, continues to empower and educate women to challenge stereotypes and help enable self-action. It firmly believes that no one should have to compromise on their dignity or be discriminated against. Vivel actively stands in support of equality and believes that for a more equal life, awareness and education is the first step to empowerment.
Meenu Vadera, Trustee and Executive Director, Azad Foundation, commented, “Azad is a professional feminist organisation working across social and religious divides to enable resource-poor women to empower themselves by engaging in viable non-traditional livelihoods. We are committed to breaking patriarchal boundaries and structures so that the women can exercise control over their lives and live with dignity. We are elated to partner with ITC Vivel to impact more resource-poor women directly and support them to opt for non-traditional livelihoods.”
The video announcing the partnership introduces some women currently enrolled in the programme. The film is a unique re-interpretation of Subhadra Kumaari Chauhan’s famous poem 'Khoob Ladi Mardaani' and celebrates the extraordinary lives of every Indian woman.
The Video: