A cooperation between Shahi Exports and the Know Me India Trust (KMIT) has been announced in order to assist at-risk and vulnerable Indian women in their fight against poverty and human trafficking. The alliance runs “Project Swabhimaan,” which gives women from weak social and economic communities—particularly those who are at risk of being trafficked and exploited—training in life skills, industry-specific technical training, job possibilities, or assistance in starting a small business. The programme will also offer mentoring and inspiration to support and encourage women on their path to financial independence and security.
By establishing a direct and sustainable employment pathway for the most vulnerable and underprivileged women in Jharsuguda, Odisha, the cooperation advances the shared objective of the two organisations. The pilot programme that was started here in Odisha aims to educate, train, and prepare women from underprivileged communities who have trouble finding steady employment. Following the training, participants will be given the opportunity to apply for jobs at Shahi, the largest producer and exporter of ready-made clothing in India.
We are thrilled to work with Know Me India Trust to provide this opportunity for women from underserved communities, said Anant Ahuja, Head of Organizational Development at Shahi Exports. Our business was founded on the principles of women’s emancipation and community involvement in the areas where we operate. This collaboration supports our initiatives to support sustainable livelihoods, combat human trafficking and modern slavery, and provide women the chance to achieve financial independence.
According to data, there are eight million people trapped in poverty in India. trafficking in people. There are between 20 and 65 million people that are coerced into forced labour in India. And domestic, intrastate, or interstate trafficking accounts for 90% of all cases. Shahi Exports and KMIT’s combined project, which aims to protect vulnerable and at-risk women from poverty and human trafficking by helping them with training and employment opportunities, is especially essential in this context.
We believe that sustainable employment is one of the most effective strategies to prevent exploitation of vulnerable people and re-exploitation of survivors of human trafficking and other types of slavery,” stated Supei Liu, Program and Development Board Advisor to KMIT. In order to address this and assist at-risk women in gaining economic agency and mobility. We are confident that women will have the chance to learn the skills and have access to the resources they require to attain economic independence, dignity, and freedom as a result of high-quality training, consistent wages, and a safe working environment.
The project will guarantee that all of the at-risk and vulnerable women who complete the programme will see an income rise of 65% and maintain this growth for the following two years. KMIT is prepared to take on the challenge of assisting the Swabhimaan program’s female participants in reaching economic security and effectively ending the vicious cycle of exploitation and human trafficking.
KMIT works in areas where commercial sexual exploitation (CSE) and labour trafficking are prevalent, and where women and girls are disadvantaged economically as a result. poverty, caste prejudice, gender disparity, and a weak ability to withstand economic shocks.
