Project shakthi
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Project Shakti is Hindustan Unilever's rural distribution initiative that targets small villages. It creates livelihood opportunities for underprivileged rural women by training them as direct-to-home distributors of HUL products. Known as Shakti Entrepreneurs or Shakti Ammas, these women earn around 700-1000 rupees per month on average by selling trusted HUL brands. The program was later expanded through the Shaktimaan initiative, which employs men in Shakti Amma families to distribute products to surrounding villages, further increasing household income. Today, Project Shakti and Shaktimaan reach over 100,000 villages and 3 million households monthly.
Project shakthi
- 1. I N C L U S I V E G R O W T H P roject Shakti is a rural distribution initia tive of Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) that targets small villages populated by less than 5,000 individuals. It is a unique win-win initiative that catalyses rural affluence even as it benefits business. Project Shakti benefits business by sign ifi cantly enhancing HUL's direct rural reach, and by enabling HUL's brands to communicate effectively in media-dark regions. It also im  pacts society by creating liveli hood opportu nities for under privileged rural women. Project Shakti impacts society in two ways — the Shakti Entrepreneur pro gramme creates livelihood oppor tunities for underprivileged rural women. The Shakti EntreDreneur (SE) programme recognises that while micro-credit plays a key role in al leviating poverty, its ability to do so depends on the availability of investment opportunities. Shakti contributes by creating profitable micro-enterprise opportunities for rural women. Armed with m icro credit, rural women become Shakti entrepreneurs: Direct-to-home dis- Hindustan Unilever's Project Shakti shows how economic development can be brought about through micro enterprise TO SUBSCRIBE TO INDIAN MANAGEMENT-SMS 'IMM' TO 57007 I N D I A N M A N A G E M E N T - F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 2 87 Indian Management Wed, 01 Feb-12 Pg# :87 Size : 1602 sq.cm.
- 3. I N C L U S I V E G R O W T H Through the' Shaktimaan initiative, men in the Shakti Amma families distribute HUL products to villages adjoining the respective Shakti village tributors in rural markets. This micro-enterprise offers low risks and high returns. The products distributed are some of the country's most trusted brands of consumer goods, and include a range o f mass-market products especially relevant to rural consumers. Moreover, HUL invests its resources in training the entrepreneurs, helping them become confident, business-sawy professionals capable of running their own enterprise.The SE is also called as 'Shakti Amma' — 'Shakti' means 'power/empowered' and 'Amma' means 'mother' inTelugu the language spo ken in Andhra Pradesh where Project Shakti was first piloted in 2000. Project Shakti has proved to be a great success for HUL and for rural im pov erished women in India. The project started in a few pilot villages in Andhra Pradesh in 2000. In 2002 it expanded to two states and by the end of 2004 had grown to over 13,000 Shakti women en trepreneurs in 12 states. Today there are about 45,000 Shakti Ammas across 15 states in India. In 2010, HUL rolled out the Shaktiman initia tive through Project Shakti. Through the Shakti maan initiative, men in the Shakti Amma families distribute HUL products to villages adjoining the respective Shakti village. Through the Geograph ical Inform ation System, villages around the 'Shakti' families are tracked and based on this they are allotted five to six villages. They go to these villages and sell HUL products. The Shaktimaan have also been given bicycles to ensure smooth travelling between villages. HUL now has over 26,000 Shaktimaans (through SHAKTI ENTREPRENEUR EARN S ^700-^ 1,000A M ONTH the Project Shakti network) across the country now. The revenue earned by the Shaktimaan further aug ments the household income of the 'Shakti' fam ily. Shaktimaans covering about five to six villages adjoining the Shakti village.The revenue earned by the Shaktimaan further augments the household income of the respective 'Shakti' family. Through Project Shakti and Shaktimaan, HUL reaches over 100,000 villages across 15 states in India and over 3 million households every month. HUL works closely with various NGOs, banks and both state and local government departments, who recognise the potential for economic growth by encouraging women to become entrepreneurs. On an average, a SE earns ?700-?l ,000 a month, and since most of them live below the poverty line, this earning is significant, often doubling the household income. With the roll out of Shaktimaan initiative, Shakti families have an opportunity to further augment their income. HUL is also eval uating various opportunities to further strengthen the income of Shakti Ammas. HUL has continuously endeavoured to augment the income of its Shakti Ammas. In 2011, HUL part nered with the State Bank of India to bring bank ing services to low-income people in small Indian villages through the Shakti Ammas.The Shakti Am mas are already trusted by local communities and make them a friendly and accessible way to pro mote access to banking in rural communities and thus promote financial inclusion. im Contributed by Hindustan Unilever. TO SUBSCRIBE TO INDIAN MANAGEMENT-SMS 'IMM’ TO 57007 I N D I A N M A N A G E M E N T - F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 2 89