Project PRERNA: An Inauguration, A Movement, and the Beginning of Rural Women’s Entrepreneurship
Updated: May 27
Project PRERNA (Promoting Rural Entrepreneurship for Nari Atmanirbharta) · ISCI Foundation · Sira Sakti Producer Group · Gaon Se Ghar Tak
There are some days that are planned for months.
Days filled with meetings, follow-ups, calls, timelines, and endless preparations. You imagine how everything will unfold when the moment finally arrives. And then the day comes — looking nothing like you imagined.
Sometimes, it turns out even better.
The inauguration of Project PRERNA (Promoting Rural Entrepreneurship for Nari Atmanirbharta) by ISCI Foundation at Mehgaon, in the Dabra region of Gwalior, was one such day. It carried the efforts of months, the hopes of rural women, and the beginning of something much larger than a project.
It also carried an unexpected moment — a minor vehicle accident on the way to the village. Thankfully, no one was injured. But like many journeys of change, it reminded us that meaningful work is rarely perfect. Challenges appear unexpectedly, yet the destination remains worth reaching.
The Work That Happens Before Anyone Arrives
Before the guests reached the venue, before the ribbon was cut, and before the prayers began, a dedicated team of staff members and nearly 25 volunteers had already reached the processing unit in Mehagaon.
There were decorations to complete, balloons to arrange, tents to set up, chairs to align, and countless small details to manage. It was quiet work — the kind that rarely appears in photographs but becomes the foundation of every successful event.
Every meaningful inauguration starts this way: not on stage, but through the people who arrive early and prepare everything with care. The volunteers looked at an empty space and slowly transformed it into a place ready to welcome dreams.
Project PRERNA: Building Entrepreneurship from the Ground Up
As the guests began arriving, the atmosphere at the unit gradually filled with excitement.
Among the distinguished guests was Mr. Mahipal Nair Sir, Managing Director of Trellix India and CSR partner for the initiative. His presence in a rural village of Gwalior alongside women entrepreneurs carried a powerful message — that grassroots change matters.
Also present were Mr. Vinit Gupta from the National Rural Livelihood Mission, whose support and coordination played an important role throughout the initiative and Sweta Modi, Director of ISCI Foundation, whose vision and leadership helped transform Project PRERNA from an idea into reality.
Project PRERNA has been designed to promote rural entrepreneurship by organising women from lower-income communities into self-help groups and supporting them to build sustainable livelihoods.
Through the Sira Sakti Aajivika Producer Group, women are now operating a 100% wood-pressed oil processing unit, producing cold-pressed mustard, coconut, almond, and other oils. More importantly, they are building confidence, ownership, and financial independence.
This initiative is not only about production units and machinery. It is about creating women-led enterprises rooted in dignity and self-reliance.
A Warm Welcome in Mehgaon
The guests were welcomed with flowers as a gesture of gratitude and respect.
The atmosphere was simple yet heartfelt. Villagers, women entrepreneurs, volunteers, and guests gathered together under the sky of Mehgaon, creating a space that felt less like a formal event and more like a shared celebration.
The warmth of the village was visible everywhere — in the smiles, the conversations, and the excitement of the women who had worked tirelessly to make this day possible.
The Ribbon Cutting and the Beginning of a New Journey
The inauguration officially began with the ribbon-cutting ceremony.
In that brief moment, months of planning, training sessions, installations, meetings, mobilizations and efforts transformed into reality.
The ceremony was followed by a traditional pooja. As prayers filled the air and incense slowly rose, the atmosphere became calm and reflective.
For many present, it was more than a ritual. It was the symbolic beginning of a new chapter.
Seated there were the women of the Sira Sakti Aajivika Producer Group — women who had once been uncertain and hesitant, but who now sat as entrepreneurs, founders, and leaders of their own enterprise.
They were not participants in someone else’s project.
They were the owners of this journey.
When CSR Becomes a True Partnership
One of the most meaningful parts of the event came after the formal ceremonies.
The guests spent time interacting directly with the women, volunteers, and team members. Conversations happened naturally. Experiences were shared. Questions were asked. Stories were exchanged.
Mahipal Nair Sir and Vineet Sir interacted closely with the women entrepreneurs, listening to their experiences and understanding their journey. The women noticed this.
You could see it in their confidence and in the way they began speaking more openly. Genuine engagement creates dignity, and that day reflected exactly what meaningful CSR partnerships can achieve.
Through the CSR support of Trellix India and support of National Rural Livelihood Mission, Project PRERNA became more than an initiative — it became a shared effort towards sustainable livelihoods and women’s empowerment.
From MehAgaon to Homes: The First Bottles of Oil
The weather that day seemed to complement the occasion perfectly. The breeze moved gently across the village while the processing unit stood ready with its first products.
The women of Sira Sakti Producer Group are now producing cold-pressed oils using traditional wood-press methods.
Black Mustard oil. Yellow Mustard oil.
Coconut oil. Almond oil.
Products made with care, effort, and pride.
These bottles represent much more than production. They carry stories of resilience, learning, and entrepreneurship.
Lunch, Laughter, and the Most Meaningful Gift
As the event moved forward, everyone gathered together for lunch.
Like every village celebration, the meal brought people together naturally. Conversations became lighter, laughter filled the space, and the atmosphere felt warm and unhurried.
Towards the end of the event came one of the most emotional moments of the day.
The women presented gifts to the guests.
Not trophies or plaques.
Instead, they gifted a T-shirt signed by the women themselves with thank you notes and a carefully packed box containing the very first batch of oil produced by their unit.
The first bottle.
The first product.
The first proof that this dream had become real.
That bottle represented much more than oil.
It represented livelihood, confidence, self-reliance, and the first step towards financial independence.
PRERNA: More Than a Project
PRERNA means inspiration.
Standing in Mehagaon that day, it became clear that inspiration was flowing in both directions. The women were not only receiving opportunities — they were inspiring
everyone around them. Project PRERNA is not merely an inauguration story.
It is a story of women choosing entrepreneurship. Of communities building together.
Of partnerships creating meaningful impact. And of a village taking its first steps towards sustainable livelihoods.
From Gaon Se Ghar Tak — from village to home — the journey has only just begun.
To the women of Sira Sakti.
To the volunteers of ISCI Foundation who arrived before sunrise.
To Mahipal Nair, Vinit Gupta, Sweta Modi, and Mohit Modi.
This was only the first chapter.
The story of Project PRERNA has just begun. 🌸
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