GHCL Foundation Trust, the corporate social responsibility (CSR) arm of GHCL Textiles Ltd., has made 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 operates textile plants in Madurai and Manapparai, Tamil Nadu, where it has impacted 25,719 lives directly through its various welfare initiatives under GHCL Foundation Trust. One of GHCL’s priority objectives is to catalyze change through women-led programs.
With an 80% female workforce, GHCL Textiles Ltd. has empowered thousands of women to become self-dependent, breadwinners for their families. This has prompted measurable change in the localities around Manapparai and Madurai, where women have taken leadership in decision-making that has prioritized improvement in healthcare and education.
GHCL Foundation believes that empowering women empowers entire communities. It provides skill training on aari/hand embroidery, jute bag making, basket making, and sewing training among rural women in Madurai and Manapparai. GHCL Foundation identifies their needs through needs ranking exercises among rural communities and addresses the same in their locality. To 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 homemade snacks have enabled women to 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 bag weaving in partnership with various organizations as well as volunteers.
Other programs aimed at the 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. It believes in empowering locals by mobilizing communities, encouraging grassroots 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, and women empowerment programs, for the communities living around its plant locations.
