25th September, 2024: GHCL Foundation Trust, the corporate social responsibility (CSR) arm of GHCL Textiles Ltd., has left an indelible mark on the lives of locals in Tamil Nadu through its CSR activities that have delivered impact at scale in FY2023-24.
The company operating textile plants in Madurai and Manapparai, Tamil Nadu, impacted 25,719 lives directly through its various welfare initiatives under GHCL Foundation Trust. One of GHCL’s key objectives is to catalyse change through women-led programmes.
With an 80% female workforce, GHCL Textiles Ltd. has empowered thousands of women become self-dependent, breadwinners for their families, which in turn has prompted measurable change in the localities around Manapparai and Madurai, where women have taken leadership in decision making that has prioritised improvement in healthcare and education.
GHCL Foundation believes that empowering women, empowers entire communities. They provides skill training on aari/hand embroidery, jute bags making, basket making and sewing trainings among rural women in Madurai and Manapparai. GHCL Foundation identifies their needs through needs ranking exercises among rural communities and addressed the same in their locality. Till date 1400 rural women have been trained and linked with Vazhndhu Kattuvom Project (Tamil Nadu Rural Transformation Project) for further financial assistance and employment linkages. VKP has given 15 sewing machines to our training participants and has been operational in Manapparai.
Mr. Balakrishnan R, CEO – GHCL Textiles Limited said, “Our Company’s consistent achievement of performance and productivity targets is a result of the dedication and talent of our predominantly female workforce. Inspired by their remarkable professional standards, we are committed to empowering more women to enter the workforce and pursue entrepreneurial ventures. By supporting women’s economic empowerment, we will be able to unlock their individual potential and contribute to broader societal development.”
Income generating activities such as running provision stores and selling home-made snacks have enabled women become financially independent as small entrepreneurs. These in turn have started virtuous cycles in the communities, paying benefits in livelihood development, education and awareness in generations to come.
GHCL Foundation conducts tailoring programs for rural women in partnership with FEDCROT Ngo. Women are also trained in livelihood enhancement skills such as basket making, hand embroidery, aari & jute bags weaving in partnership with various organisations as well as volunteers.
Other programmes aimed at upliftment of the girl child include menstrual hygiene awareness in schools, computer literacy and tuition classes. GHCL contributed by substantially raising the number of participants in each of these activities, laying a solid foundation for overall community development.
GHCL Foundation Trust, the corporate social responsibility (CSR) arm of GHCL Textiles, works with rural communities through direct and indirect interventions to empower locals by mobilising communities, encouraging grass roots volunteers and providing needs-based assistance in alliance with government departments as knowledge partners.
The company supports initiatives such as health awareness camps, sanitation, water purification, livelihood development, school education, women empowerment programs, for the communities living around its plant locations.