The Mira-Bhayander Municipal Corporation (MBMC) has launched a flagship program called ‘Faral Sakhi’ to empower women in Mira-Bhayander, Maharashtra, in the field of entrepreneurship. This initiative aims to provide extensive training and support to women engaged in traditional snack production, helping them scale their businesses sustainably and effectively.
In collaboration with the Women Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP), which operates under NITI Aayog, the initiative is designed to bridge information gaps and offer women access to essential resources like financing, marketing, training, skill development, mentoring, networking, legal assistance, and business development services.
The ‘Faral Sakhi’ initiative focuses on creating sustainable employment opportunities for women by involving them in the production and sale of traditional festive snacks (faral). MBMC has set up a central kitchen, providing women with a platform to prepare these snacks professionally. During the Diwali season, this initiative achieved remarkable success, with over 3 tons of snacks sold—testament to their exceptional quality and taste.
As part of this initiative, 25 women from Mira-Bhayander will be selected for technical training in business operations. The Centre for Education, Governance, and Public Policy will conduct this training, equipping participants with the skills and knowledge required to establish sustainable businesses and contribute to the local economy.
WEP and MBMC Partnership:
WEP serves as a unifying platform for ecosystem stakeholders, including government, businesses, charities, and civil society organizations. Together, they work towards creating impactful, scalable, and sustainable programs for women entrepreneurs. This partnership not only ensures the success of women-led enterprises in domestic markets but also encourages them to expand their businesses globally. To date, over 30,000 women are associated with WEP, and the collaboration with MBMC aims to build a thriving ecosystem for women-led businesses in Mira-Bhayander.
Training for Women Entrepreneurs: Supporting women entrepreneurs is crucial for achieving women-led development. WEP empowers women by providing training, resources, skills, mentors, and networks needed for entrepreneurship. By incorporating the ‘Faral Sakhi’ initiative into the ‘Award to Reward’ program, efforts are being made to promote the growth of women-led home industries, enabling them to scale up into larger enterprises.
