M3M Foundation Reaffirms Commitment to Women’s Skills, Entrepreneurship and Livelihoods Ahead of International Women’s Day
NEW DELHI/ VARANASI (India CSR): On the eve of International Women’s Day, M3M Foundation has unveiled the “Weaving Change – Weaving of Heritage” campaign in Varanasi with the ambitious goal of empowering 40,000 women across India through skill development, entrepreneurship, and sustainable livelihood opportunities. The initiative aims to connect rural women engaged in traditional arts and crafts with modern markets, design innovation, and digital platforms, enabling them to transform their heritage skills into economic opportunities.
“On the eve of International Women’s Day, M3M Foundation reiterated its commitment to the social and economic empowerment of women across the country, stating that the true strength of India’s development lies in its women. Empowering women through education, skill development, entrepreneurship, and livelihood opportunities forms the foundation of sustainable social transformation,” the foundation said.
Weaving Change – Weaving of Heritage
Dr. Payal Kanodia, Chairperson and Trustee of M3M Foundation, was speaking during the launch of the “Weaving Change – Weaving of Heritage” campaign in Kashi (Varanasi), the parliamentary constituency of Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. Although the campaign has been launched from Varanasi, its objective is to connect 40,000 women across the country with skills, entrepreneurship, and sustainable rural livelihoods through traditional Indian arts and crafts.”
“Through this initiative, the traditional skills of rural women will be linked with modern markets, design innovation, and digital platforms to realize the vision of “Rural to Global.”, she added.
500 Women Participation
The inauguration programme was organized in the Bairwan Panchayat of Arajiline Block in Varanasi district in collaboration with Mahila Swarojgar Samiti, where more than 500 women from nearby villages participated. According to Dr. Kanodia, when women are provided with opportunities, skills, and resources, they not only empower their families but also strengthen the entire society. She further stated that through various programmes of the Foundation, efforts are being made across several states to make women self-reliant by connecting them with skill training, entrepreneurship, and livelihood opportunities.
MoU Signed to Strengthen Partnership
During the programme, an MoU for the project was exchanged between Dr. Payal Kanodia and Rekha Chauhan, Founder of Mahila Swarojgar Samiti.
The exchange took place in the presence of:
- Hansraj Vishwakarma, MLC from Varanasi Rural
- Poonam Maurya, District Panchayat President of Varanasi
Several other dignitaries and social representatives also attended the event, including:
- Dr. Aishwarya Mahajan, Managing Trustee, M3M Foundation
- Praveen Singh Gautam, BJP District General Secretary
- Arvind Singh, BJP Vice President
- Prashant, Vishwa Hindu Parishad
- Vaishali Tai Joshi and Anant Prabha, Vishwa Mangalya Sabha
Kaushal Sambal programme
Through M3M Foundation’s ‘Kaushal Sambal’ programme and other community initiatives, thousands of women are being provided with skill development training, entrepreneurship guidance, and livelihood opportunities, enabling them to play a significant role in strengthening their families economically.
Strengthening Rural Livelihoods
Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Payal Kanodia emphasized that rural women play an extremely significant role in preserving India’s traditional arts and crafts. She stated that “Weaving Change – Weaving of Heritage” is not just a project but a movement aimed at connecting the skills of rural women with entrepreneurship while taking India’s heritage from “Rural to Global” on the world stage.
She also highlighted that M3M Foundation’s work in Varanasi is not limited to livelihoods and women’s empowerment, but also extends to the preservation of religious and cultural heritage. As part of the development of Eknath Bhavan located at the historic Durga Ghat in Kashi, the Foundation has reconstructed the sanctum (garbhagriha) and assembly hall of the Vitthal Temple, developed an Annakshetra, and built a dharamshala for pilgrims and spiritual seekers. In addition, a community hall for social and cultural activities has also been developed.
Vocal for Local and Virasat se Vikas
This initiative is a significant step toward realizing the vision of “Vocal for Local” and “Virasat se Vikas” championed by Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. Through this campaign, efforts will be made not only to provide a new identity to the skills of rural women but also to bring India’s rich artistic traditions to the global platform.
Rekha Chauhan, Founder of Mahila Swarojgar Samiti, said that this partnership will provide thousands of women from Varanasi and surrounding rural areas an opportunity to transform their traditional skills into enterprises, enabling them to become self-reliant.
On the occasion of International Women’s Day, M3M Foundation reaffirmed its commitment to further strengthen women’s participation in the nation’s development by promoting their skills, leadership, and entrepreneurship.
Dr. Kanodia summed up the Foundation’s vision with a powerful message: “Skill in every hand, dignity in every home — this is the true direction of women’s empowerment.”
The M3M Foundation
M3M Foundation is a leading social development organization working extensively in the areas of education, skill development, healthcare, environmental conservation, sports, and community development. Through its various programmes—Kaushal Sambal, iMpower, Sankalp, Sarvoday, Lakshya, and VanJeevan—the foundation is empowering the lives of lakhs of people across several states in India. The foundation aims to build self-reliant communities, connect women and youth with skills and entrepreneurship, and contribute to India’s social and economic progress through the vision of “Heritage to Development” and “Rural to Global.”
(India CSR)
