What's Faral Sakhi? An Initiative by MBMC & WEP Empowering Shepreneurs

Mira Bhayandar is buzzing with a new wave of entrepreneurship as women-led businesses take center stage through the ‘Faral Sakhi’ initiative. Launched by the Mira Bhayandar Municipal Corporation (MBMC) in collaboration with the Women Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP) of NITI Aayog, this pioneering program is transforming traditional snack-making into a thriving economic opportunity for women entrepreneurs. Wondering what is Faral Sakhi Initiative?

TICE brings you key details of this partnership and the newly launched initiative.

What is Faral Sakhi?

The ‘Faral Sakhi’ initiative is part of WEP’s Award to Reward program and focuses on empowering women from self-help groups (SHGs) by providing them with professional training, access to resources, and market connections. By combining these elements, the initiative aims to not only preserve cultural traditions but also foster sustainable entrepreneurship.

"Supporting women entrepreneurs is vital for achieving women-led development,” said Ms. Anna Roy, Principal Economic Adviser at NITI Aayog and Mission Director of WEP. “Faral Sakhi isn’t just about business; it’s about societal transformation, creating an ecosystem where women entrepreneurs can thrive.”

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Festive Launch with Remarkable Success

The timing of the launch during the Diwali season played a critical role in the program’s initial success. MBMC set up a central kitchen to ensure the professional production of high-quality traditional snacks, enabling SHGs to deliver consistency and excellence. Municipal support for product promotion and dedicated sales spaces resulted in an impressive milestone—over three tons of snacks sold during the festive period.

Sanjay Katkar, Municipal Commissioner of MBMC, highlighted the broader impact of the initiative, saying, “The ‘Faral Sakhi’ initiative represents a significant step toward the holistic development of women entrepreneurs. It prepares the women of Mira Bhayandar to lead sustainable industries and inspire future generations.”

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Strategic Training for Long-Term Impact

The success of ‘Faral Sakhi’ is underpinned by a robust training program. Twenty-five women from Mira Bhayandar will undergo specialized business training conducted by the Centre for Education, Governance, and Public Policy (CEGP Foundation). The training will focus on essential skills for managing and scaling their businesses, ensuring the initiative’s long-term sustainability.

WEP, an aggregator platform incubated by NITI Aayog in 2018, transitioned into a public-private partnership in 2022, further strengthening its capacity to support women entrepreneurs. Through its focus on areas like financing, skilling, and mentoring, WEP has engaged over 30,000 women entrepreneurs across India, with ‘Faral Sakhi’ being a shining example of its initiatives.

A Model for Women’s Economic Empowerment

Beyond festive seasons, ‘Faral Sakhi’ is a blueprint for women’s economic empowerment. Financial backing from WEP partner Appreciate and strategic collaborations aim to expand the reach of the program, creating a thriving ecosystem for women-led enterprises.

By turning traditional snack-making into a scalable business model, the initiative is not just generating employment but also redefining the potential of women entrepreneurs.

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Building a Legacy of Growth

The ‘Faral Sakhi’ initiative is a testament to the transformative power of collaboration between local governance, public-private partnerships, and community-driven efforts. It is helping women entrepreneurs in Mira Bhayandar rewrite their stories—one snack, one sale, and one success at a time.

As the program continues to grow, its impact will resonate far beyond Mira Bhayandar, inspiring communities across the country to support women entrepreneurs in their journey toward sustainable development.

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