15th October 2025: Flipkart Foundation, the charitable arm of the Flipkart Group, has partnered with Smile Foundation to launch a skill development initiative designed to equip underserved youth across Bengaluru and Hyderabad with employability skills and connect them to sustainable job opportunities.
This initiative aims to train a total of 540 young individuals, ensuring that women comprise at least 70% of the participants. At least 380 trainees are expected to secure employment in the BFSI sector. Overall, the program aims to directly and indirectly benefit approximately 2,700 people, including the participants’ families and communities.
This collaboration builds on the strong results of the previous partnership, which successfully trained 546 young people, with 73% benefiting from meaningful employment opportunities. Building on the momentum, the new project aims to further enhance youth employability through structured post-placement tracking, supporting long-term job retention and sustained income growth.
Through this partnership, Smile Foundation will deliver comprehensive training, focusing on BFSI content, communication skills, computer literacy, English proficiency, and workplace readiness. The curriculum also includes career counseling sessions, employee engagement activities, and regular assessments to prepare the youth for meaningful employment in the BFSI sector, which is showing good growth.
Commenting on the partnership, Sarah Gideon, Vice President, Communications and Flipkart Foundation, said, “At Flipkart Foundation, we recognize that meaningful skilling is not just about training, it is about enabling access, aspiration, and long-term opportunity. This initiative reflects our continued commitment to helping young people prepare for the formal workforce with the confidence, capability, and support they need. By working closely with on- ground partners like Smile Foundation, we aim to bridge systemic gaps and contribute to a more inclusive and resilient workforce.”
Santanu Mishra, Co-Founder & Executive Trustee, Smile Foundation, said, “Skilling is an integral part of education. To prepare our youth to be independent, have a gainful livelihood, and contribute to India’s growth story, we need to prioritize skilling initiatives. We are thankful to the Flipkart Foundation for their invaluable support towards our skill training and employment program, and enabling youth from underserved communities to enter the workforce with skills, confidence and hope for a better future.”
This collaboration is testimony to the shared commitment of the Flipkart Foundation and Smile Foundation to advance youth employability, promote inclusive growth, and create pathways for long-term, sustainable livelihoods across communities.