Serving The Underprivileged

The World Bank has identified empowerment as one of the key constituent elements of poverty reduction and a primary development assistance goal.

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NITI Aayog, in its ‘Action Agenda Draft’ released on April 2017, stressed on the importance of promoting equal participation of women in the Indian economy. The Aayog’s 2017-20 agenda also stated that women tend to be paid less, work in less productive jobs, and are over-represented in unpaid care work. Various CSR activities by companies have provided a platform as well as vocational courses and employment opportunities to the underprivileged.

The Shahnaz Husain Group of Companies has initiated an extensive CSR programme to assist the underprivileged.

Vivek Mungat, a visually impaired person from Delhi, told BE, “I did not know what to do with my life and did not want to be dependent on others. I took the vocational training course at Shasight, started by Shahnaz Husain. I got the opportunity and confidence to earn my own living. Now I am employed at a Shahnaz Salon and am happily independent.”

Shruti Sarkar, 23 years, who hails from Cooch Behar, West Bengal, told BE, “After I completed their ethnic beauty care course, I started doing door-to-door beauty treatments. I was so happy when I handed over my first month’s income to my mother. Today I earn around `9000/- per month.”

BE’s Ankita Chakraborty spoke to Shahnaz Husain, Chairperson and Managing Director, Shahnaz Husain Group of Companies on the CSR activities initiated by her company.

Q. You are a beauty icon. What motivated you to start a skill development programme for the underprivileged? How are they trained?