Every year, International Women’s Day gives us a reason to stop and look around. Milestones matter, but so does the steady work that continues behind the scenes.

At S M Sehgal Foundation, we’ve learned something over many years of working across villages: real change doesn’t come from the outside. True change grows from within communities. And more often than not, women are the ones who are holding that growth together as farmers, mothers, frontline workers, mobilizers, and so much more.

From Rajasthan to Bihar, Haryana to Uttarakhand, these women aren’t waiting to be called leaders. They already are leaders.

This Women’s Day, we share a few of their stories, not as statistics, but as lived experiences from the field.

Women Lead in Water Management

In rural India, the work of fetching water has always landed on women and girls. Hours every day. Long distances. Heavy vessels. Not a metaphor, fetching water is a daily reality that shapes what else a woman can or can’t do with her time.

In Durga Nagar Township, Dewas district, Madhya Pradesh, a 25,000-liter community water tank was built as part of an Integrated Village Development Project. Our Water Management Program team worked with the community to provide households with round-the-clock access to stored water.

For Anita and others like her in the settlement, this access also means something as simple as time—for family, for rest, and for themselves. The tank infrastructure, now looked after by a community committee is also a model of shared ownership.

Women aren’t only the beneficiaries—they are often the ones driving the community conversations.

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Kunti Gupta, project coordinator, S M Sehgal Foundation

Kunti Gupta, a project coordinator with S M Sehgal Foundation, was recognized as a Women Water Champion by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) for her work in water conservation, quality, and wastewater management across Haryana and Bihar. She started as a community mobilizer. Over years of working directly with villages dealing with scarcity, salinity, and fluoride contamination, she became someone people naturally turn to for help. Her work in community sessions, awareness drives, and slow, patient capacity building is not glamorous. But the impact is real.

When women are part of water governance, the solutions tend to last.

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Women in Agriculture: Doing the Work and Finally Getting the Recognition

While women have long contributed to farming in India, their access to resources, markets, and formal recognition has often remained limited. In Champawat district, Uttarakhand, the Champawat Monal Farmer Producer Company, formed under our Agriculture Development program, is working to change that by supporting small and marginal farmers with high-yielding seeds, skill training, and connections to markets.

Today, the company has 1,124 shareholders, including 1,119 women and 5 men. In the past year alone, 450 new women shareholders have joined. Women are also part of the leadership, with five women serving on the Board of Directors and five women as promoters.

Godavari Kaloni used to describe herself mainly as a homemaker. Now she travels to neighboring villages, guiding other farmers through crop planning, pest management, and fertilizer use. That’s a real shift in role, in confidence, in how she sees herself.

Geeta Devi says she used to be afraid to speak in public. But not anymore! Farmer Interest Group meetings gave her a space to talk, ask questions, and push back when something didn’t seem right.

Pushpa Chaubey has taken on something even harder by going village to village, encouraging women farmers to step forward and speak in the first place. That kind of mobilization is slow, unglamorous work. But it’s also the work that makes everything else possible.

The fields of Champawat are changing the crops they grow, the methods they use, and the people who have a say in how agriculture is handled and how decisions are made.

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Education Takes a Whole Community

In Alwar, Rajasthan, eighteen-year-old Afseena was studying from a single worn-out textbook. That was before Project Umeed brought a solar-powered digital library to her school with computers, a smart board, and access to resources she hadn’t had before.

Afseena is one of nearly 4,000 children across multiple states who now have that access—but the technology is only part of the change.

School Management Committees that include mothers and community members are taking on the responsibility for these spaces—showing up to monitor what’s working and pushing for better attendance. When mothers become genuinely invested in schools, schools become better institutions. That’s not mere theory, we’ve seen it happen in real time.

Afseena’s story, more than about digital literacy, demonstrates what happens when a community decides that their children deserve more.

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Community Is Where Leadership Actually Starts

In Kultajpur, Haryana, Pinki Devi signed up for Pashu Sakhi training under an agriculture initiative. Some villagers were initially hesitant to accept livestock health advice from a woman. Time was needed for trust to build through consistent effort, practical demonstrations, and results that spoke for themselves.

Within a year, she had treated and dewormed more than a hundred animals. As a result, goat prices in the village went up because the animals were healthier. She now earns an independent income. People call on her because she knows what she’s talking about.

In Bihar’s East Champaran district, a different kind of work is happening. Nutrition workshops for frontline workers, including anganwadi workers, auxiliary nurse midwives, and community health staff, are building awareness around maternal and child nutrition. These aren’t headline-making interventions, but they shift how communities think about food, health, and preventive care–which matters.

Taken together, these aren’t isolated stories. They’re part of a pattern: when women are given knowledge and a real place in decision-making, entire communities grow stronger.

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To the Women of S M Sehgal Foundation

None of this happens without the people doing the day-to-day work.

Women field coordinators travel village to village. Program leads figure out what actually works. Researchers ask the harder questions. Community mobilizers hold meetings under trees or in panchayat halls. Their work doesn’t always make end up in reports. But their work is what holds everything together across more than 1,000 villages in multiple states.

We see it. We’re grateful for it.

Meet Our Team

Her Story Is Our Story

The stories described here are just a small slice of what’s happening across rural India.

In water committees, farmer cooperatives, classrooms, livestock groups, and health workshops, women are shaping their communities in ways both visible and quiet. Their strength may not be loud or dramatic. But their influence is practical, persistent, and consistent.

Something real continues to build by the day.

If these stories stayed with you, many more are waiting in the Stories section of S M Sehgal Foundation’ Read More

Happy Women’s Day

To every woman who keeps showing up for her village, her family, her community—we see you. We celebrate you. And we’re with you.

Priya Chaudhary
Social Impact, CSR, and Gender & Development

Priya Chaudhary is an expert in Social Impact, CSR, and Gender & Development with a focus on gender equity, social inclusion, and evidence-based change. With extensive experience in project management, storytelling, and qualitative research, she has worked on various NGO marketing and development projects.

The post Her Strength Is India’s Future: Women Who are Changing Rural Communities appeared first on S M Sehgal Foundation.

What happens when rural women gain access to finance, resources, and community support?

A quiet revolution begins.

According to a 2024 report, women now own 20.5% of India’s micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), with a growing number of entrepreneurs (BW Businessworld). This surge signals a powerful shift in the rural economy with microfinance and Self-Help Groups (SHGs) creating pathways for women to lead sustainable businesses and uplift their communities.

Microfinance supports rural women by providing small loans and financial services to low-income women. Self-Help Groups (SHGs), typically formed by women in rural India, are grassroots collectives that save together and access microcredit to build their economic resilience and drive change.

Together, microfinance through SHGs in India has transformed the rural entrepreneurial landscape. These tools empower women with money, build confidence, skills, and fosters a sense of women-driven rural entrepreneurship.

The Ground Reality: What Are the Barriers Faced by Rural Women of India?

Despite significant improvements in financial inclusion, rural women in India continue to face systemic challenges:

1. Societal Constraints

In many rural parts of India, women are still expected to stay home and follow strict traditions. These cultural rules often prevent them from making their own decisions, especially when it comes to money and work. Even if a woman wants to start a small business, she might not get permission from her family or community. This lack of independence holds back her dreams and potential.

2. Lack of Financial Literacy

Most rural women have limited knowledge about how banks work or how to manage money effectively. They might not know how to open a bank account, save money, or take a small business loan. Because they haven’t been exposed to these things, they often feel nervous or unsure about stepping into financial activities. Without proper support and guidance, they struggle to grow financially.

3. Limited Mobility and Exposure

In traditional rural communities, many women don’t travel alone or go far from their homes. This limits their chances of attending training sessions, meeting new people, or selling their products in nearby markets. Without seeing how businesses work or learning from others, it becomes harder for them to start or grow any kind of income activity. Their world stays small, even if they have big dreams.

4. Resource Scarcity

Even if a woman has a great business idea, she usually doesn’t have the tools or money to make it happen. Basic things like startup capital, raw materials, or even space to work are often out of reach. Many don’t own land or assets, making it difficult to take loans. Without these resources, it becomes nearly impossible for rural women to turn their skills into sustainable income.

These barriers explain why, in Husaini village of Mathura’s Chhata block, none of the twelve active SHGs were running income-generating activities—until recently.

From Inactivity to Enterprise: The Story of Shree Ji SHG

In Husaini, Uttar Pradesh, S M Sehgal Foundation initiated a transformative intervention under a CSR-supported project. The village’s Shree Ji SHG, comprised of ten women, was selected to establish a mustard oil expeller unit—an idea rooted in local resource availability and potential demand.

What are the Key Elements of the Intervention?

What began as a micro-enterprise idea soon evolved into a functioning business run by rural women—breaking barriers and setting an example for other women.

Impact on the Ground: What Tangible Shift was Noticed After the Launch of this Transformational Intervention?

Over the past fourteen months (Dec 2023–Jan 2025), the Shree Ji SHG generated a revenue of ₹11.03 lakh. Each of the ten women involved is now contributing to their household incomes, improving their families’ standard of living, and securing long-term stability.

The initiative has also created a ripple effect:

The Voice from a Beneficiary

Akila, a landless woman and member of the SHG, shares:

“I used to depend on uncertain wage labor. Now I have a consistent income and can pay for my children’s education. We started small, learned from the market, and slowly grew confident in managing production and sales. Today our product reaches beyond the village.”

What is the Role of Microfinance in Enabling Women Entrepreneurs?

The transformation seen in Husaini village through the Shree Ji SHG is not an isolated success—it’s part of a growing movement across rural India, where microfinance and self-help groups are unlocking the hidden potential of women. Microfinance doesn’t just offer credit—it builds confidence, community, and long-term capabilities. Here’s how:

1. Easy Access to Credit

Traditional banks often ask for collateral or formal income proofs—something most rural women lack. Microfinance institutions, on the other hand, offer small, low-interest loans that are accessible even to landless women like Akila from Shree Ji SHG. With the support of the CSR-backed initiative, the group accessed the funds needed to purchase a mustard expeller and set up the business. For women who never imagined owning or running a machine, access to this initial capital was the first step toward entrepreneurship.

2. Collective Responsibility

In the SHG model, every member is jointly responsible for loan repayments and business outcomes. This system builds trust and encourages regular engagement. The ten women of Shree Ji SHG didn’t just receive individual loans—they formed a community of support. They worked together through challenges such as arranging for electricity infrastructure and coordination to keep the unit running. The pressure of collective responsibility pushed everyone to stay committed and accountable.

3. Empowerment through Savings

Regular savings, even as little as ₹10 a week, gradually help women build a safety net. These habits introduce financial discipline and security into their lives. For the women of Husaini, being part of the SHG meant learning how to manage earnings, reinvest profits, and plan expenses. Over time, they moved from uncertain daily wages to a structured business model that offered consistent income, as seen in their ₹11 lakh revenue over fourteen months.

4. Increased Bargaining Power

When women earn their own income, their voices grow stronger. For the members of Shree Ji SHG, success brought them more than money. It gave them dignity and recognition within their households and the larger village community. The support of male counterparts grew as the business expanded, and the women began to make decisions that affected their families’ future—such as investing in their children’s education or improving household facilities.

In Husaini, microfinance didn’t just launch a mustard oil business—it lit a spark of confidence, independence, and transformation. The Shree Ji SHG story proves how targeted support, when combined with training and community backing, can fuel women’s entrepreneurship in even the most traditional rural areas.

How to Drive Entrepreneurship Through Capacity Building?

Financial assistance alone is not enough. Entrepreneurial growth in rural areas needs consistent capacity-building support for women entrepreneurs that includes:

These steps were integrated in the Husaini intervention—ensuring sustainable growth and self-reliance.

Collaborations That Work: Government, NGOs, and Community

The synergy between government institutions, NGOs, and local communities can fast-track rural entrepreneurship. In Husaini, partnerships with ICAR–NRCRM and UPSRLM played a crucial role in legitimising and scaling the venture.

Such collaborations help to:

In the long run, this network of support creates an ecosystem where rural women feel seen, supported, and successful.

Looking Ahead: What Needs to Be Done?

To replicate this success across rural India, consider the following measures:

More Than Income, It’s Empowerment

Microfinance and SHGs are not merely financial tools—they’re instruments of social change. When women like Akila take charge of a business, it transforms not just their income, but their status, confidence, and role in society.

The success story of Shree Ji SHG in Husaini is a shining example of how the right support, combined with community trust and women’s resilience, can spark entrepreneurship in new places. By scaling such interventions, we can unlock the vast untapped potential of rural women entrepreneurs across India.

About the Author

Pawan Kumar
Principal Lead for Agriculture Development

Pawan Kumar is the Principal Lead for Agriculture Development at Sehgal Foundation, with over 27 years of experience in scaling NGO and CSR initiatives. An Oxford-educated development professional, recognized as one of the top agri-food pioneers by the World Food Prize Foundation in 2024, Pawan has a strong track record in organizational growth, fund mobilization, and sustainable development.

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