NEW DELHI (India CSR): Reinforcing its commitment to inclusive growth and community empowerment, PepsiCo India, in partnership with Mrida Heart ‘N Soil Foundation, is enabling women-centric skilling and livelihood development across rural India. Anchored in PepsiCo India’s Partnership of Progress philosophy, the initiative has reached over 55,000 women across 272 villages in five States and Union Territories, including Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Punjab, and Dadra and Nagar Haveli, supporting sustainable livelihoods rooted in local contexts.
The initiative is part of PepsiCo India’s broader skilling and empowerment ecosystem under RevolutioNari, a nation-building initiative focused on bridging India’s skilling gap through community outreach, targeted upskilling, and livelihood creation. Building on current momentum, the program aims to expand to 1,000 villages across more than 15 States/UTs, scaling both reach and impact.
Key Impact and Scale of the Program
- 55,100+ women reached through community awareness and mobilisation (AwareNaris)
- 4,800+ women equipped with market-relevant and advanced skills (SkilledNaris & UpskilledNaris)
- 25 women enabled as micro-entrepreneurs, setting up trade-specific enterprises (EntrepreuNaris)
- 2,000+ sessions conducted across villages, building trust, enabling knowledge transfer, and supporting women’s progression through structured pathways of social and economic empowerment.
- Livelihood opportunities include tailoring, khakhra production, soap and agarbatti making, beauty and wellness services, natural farming, agri and food processing, jewellery making, and mehendi and nail art, among others, aligned with local demand and income sustainability.
Speaking about the initiative, Yashika Singh, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer and Sustainability Head, PepsiCo India and South Asia, said, “At PepsiCo India, we believe inclusive growth begins at the community level, when women are equipped with the skills, confidence, and opportunities to shape their own futures. We started this initiative with a simple vision: to enable rural women to build skills, pursue livelihoods, and emerge as leaders in their communities. The impact across 272 villages inspires us to expand the program to 1,000 villages, reaching even more women and creating pathways for sustainable livelihoods. This is the essence of our ‘Partnership of Progress’ philosophy, bringing together grassroots expertise and institutional scale to deliver lasting impact. When women lead change in their communities, progress becomes self-sustaining.”
Commenting on the program, Arun Nagpal, Mrida Co-Founder & Director, said, “This collaboration with PepsiCo India has enabled us to significantly deepen our reach and impact. By combining community trust with structured skilling and entrepreneurship support, we are witnessing meaningful change, women making informed financial decisions, leading micro-enterprises, and inspiring others to follow. Women’s empowerment is a core pillar of Mrida’s rural development strategy. Partnerships like these are critical to building resilient and empowered rural communities, while ensuring development initiatives are both sustainable and scalable.”
Sharing her experience, Phool Kumari, a program participant from Village Batra, Block Milak, District Rampur, Uttar Pradesh, said, “This training gave me the skills and confidence to start my own small business and inspire other women in my village. I never imagined I could become a role model in my community.”
Beyond scale, the initiative has strengthened local leadership, improved financial decision-making among women, and enabled greater ownership of livelihood initiatives at the village level, contributing to long-term community resilience. The expansion ahead will continue to be driven through collaborations with like-minded organisations, government bodies, and local stakeholders, recognising that partnerships are central to delivering sustainable, large-scale social transformation.
Through this collaboration, PepsiCo India continues to showcase how purpose-led partnerships can unlock opportunity, strengthen communities, and contribute meaningfully to economic and social progress.
(India CSR)
