Akzo Nobel India, the makers of Dulux paints, is celebrating Diwali this year, with its Indradhanush women who are striving towards creating an empowered and diverse future in rural India.
AkzoNobel India launched Project Indradhanush in 2021 with the primary objective of enabling women to foster micro-entrepreneurship and socio-economic development in rural India. This societal initiative started from one village in Assam but has now expanded to include and benefit women in 500 villages. These women reside in the villages of six states covering – West Bengal, Assam, Haryana, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, and Karnataka.
Managing Director, Akzo Nobel India Rajiv Rajgopal while speaking on this initiative shared his pride on the success of Project Indradhanush having been instrumental in lighting up a more sustainable future for rural India. It has contributed by providing women the requisite paint know-how, the vocational skills and resources. Training has been imparted on decorative paint application and entrepreneurship trainings. He further added that Project Indradhanush is unlocking a colorful rainbow that is resplendent with empowerment, hope and financial independence at the grassroot level.
Project Indradhanush has enhanced the awareness of 34,000 rural women, about new livelihood opportunities that are available in the paint business to 34,000. More than 1,500 rural women are currently vocationally trained Indradhanush painters and are challenging the existing gender norms.
This project has created 300 first time women paint entrepreneurs in 500 villages of India. A majority of this Indradhanush paint-preneurs, were earlier either homemakers or were managing existing small grocery, stationery or other shops. Project Indradhanush has apart from giving the rural women financial independence, has unleased good opportunities for rural women as entrepreneurs. It has helped them move towards a sustainable and better future in terms of livelihood and career opportunities.
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