MG Motor India announced its continued commitment to women’s empowerment by launching ‘MG Sewa – Saarthi‘, a motor driving vocational training program for women from economically weaker section in the Vadodara district. The program is in partnership with Wings to Fly, an Ahmedabad-based NGO and Vadodara Police. It will take three months for 70 women to receive comprehensive driving training covering theoretical and practical aspects. Upon completing the training program, they can obtain their driver’s license and receive grooming and soft skills training.
In addition to empowering women through life skills development, participants in the program will entail interactive activities. These sessions will cover several important topics, including communication, technology, behaviour, and time management – essential skills for job readiness and better quality of life. Furthermore, the program will collaborate with public and private entities to offer job opportunities to participants across industries.
Announcing the initiative, Yeshwinder Patial- Director- HR- MG Motor India said, “The essential step to creating an equitable society is to advocate programs that enable, empower, and elevate women to more crucial roles. Enhancing their skills will enable “MG Sewa – Saarthi’ to lead them to self-reliance. Our organization believes that such initiatives will contribute to society’s sustainable development goals. Our constant endeavour is to curate a path by embracing a more realistic perspective. In the long run, if our small efforts can make a difference and uplift the spirit, that would be the real change.”
Arpita Vyas, Founder, Wings to Fly Foundation said, “We have made it our mission to enable women, especially those from less privileged families, to achieve more. We believe that given the right set of skills and opportunities, every woman holds the potential to shine bright, both personally and professionally. We are wholeheartedly thankful to MG for supporting us in our endeavours. Through Project MG Sewa – Saarthi, we sincerely hope that we will be able to bring about a significant positive change to the life of every participating woman by helping them inch closer to better livelihoods.”
Since its inception, MG Motor India has played an essential role in embracing inclusivity and diversity in the automotive industry. As of now, the carmaker has 37% women employees among its workforce, which is likely to increase to 50% very soon. MG has also initiated several women empowerment programs, such as providing quality education to girls with IIMPACT, entrepreneurial programs like Womentorship and Changemaker, skill development with Udayan Shalini and Project Prerna, and helping women resume their careers through DriveHerBack. Wings to Fly, its ally in Project “MG Sewa – Saarthi, focuses on promoting women’s rights, upskilling, and welfare. In the underdeveloped regions of Gujarat, the NGO provides counselling, awareness, and vocational training. As part of its mission, it also works to promote education and sports among young girls and children.