Under its flagship women’s empowerment initiative, Sakhi, Hindustan Zinc, the largest integrated zinc producer in the world, has accomplished a noteworthy milestone by empowering over 25,455 rural women in Rajasthan with a cumulative credit of Rs 125.71 crore. Sakhi Federation’s credit has grown to be a vital component of rural women’s financial empowerment, allowing them to invest in sources of income, grow small enterprises, fund their children’s education, and upgrade home infrastructure. Additionally, it offers a safety net in case of emergencies, enabling women to obtain loans on time without depending on unofficial or dishonest sources. These self-help groups have established a sustained cycle of growth and resilience by cycling capital within the community, where each rupee reinvested adds to the overall prosperity of families and villages.

One of the main tenets of Hindustan Zinc’s community development initiatives, the Sakhi project seeks to encourage women’s leadership, social empowerment, and economic independence. Sakhi, which is carried out in collaboration with the Manjari Foundation and Chaitanya Trust, helps women establish and fortify self-help groups (SHGs), giving them access to official banking, savings, and credit systems. Through fostering financial literacy and entrepreneurship, the programme assists women in becoming engaged members of their families and communities.

Farzana, a young widow, enrolled in Hindustan Zinc’s Sakhi programme in Kayad, Rajasthan, via the Peer Baba Self Help Group. She trained in the Sakhi pickle unit and gained expertise in food processing because she was determined to start over. Her salary now supports her family’s stability and her two children’s schooling. Her incredible journey, which was acknowledged by Business World and honoured with the Social Impact Leader Award, is a powerful illustration of how opportunity can empower people. “I now have hope for a better future for my kids because of my work here. I feel confident enough now to take care of my house and money on my own,” Farzana says.

The Sakhi adventure started quietly for Indra Meena, a single mother and her family’s only provider. She quickly rose to become one of the top-paid members of the Namkeen Unit in Zawar. Because of her commitment and leadership, she was appointed to the Sakhi Utpadan Samiti Board of Directors, where she currently serves as a major decision-maker and mentor to other women. “I consider the Namkeen Unit close to my house to be a boon. She proudly declares, “These didis I work with are not just colleagues; they are my family.”

Hindustan Zinc keeps constructing an ecosystem of inclusive growth that includes skill development, entrepreneurship, and economic empowerment through its Sakhi and Microenterprise programmes. With brands like Daichi (edibles) and Upaya (textiles), the microenterprises under Sakhi Utpadan Samiti have set up 14 production facilities and 208 outlets, generating Rs 231 lakh in sales and forging solid connections with rural markets. The programme has empowered over 25,455 women across 2,167 self-help groups in more than 200 villages, redefining rural Rajasthan’s development narrative and promoting women as important change agents and progressors. It is in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals on gender equality, decent work, economic growth, and reducing inequalities.

Beyond Sakhi, Hindustan Zinc’s dedication to social change encompasses a number of areas, including healthcare, water and sanitation, sports, culture, the environment, animal welfare, sustainable livelihoods, children’s education, and skill development. Through strategic and cooperative initiatives, the company continues to promote inclusive growth, guided by the mission to improve the economic well-being and quality of life of communities surrounding its activities. The Anil Agarwal Foundation’s major initiatives, such as Nand Ghar, are modernising early childhood care and education, and its projects in rural infrastructure, health services, and water conservation are making communities resilient and self-sufficient. Hindustan Zinc, which serves more than 23 lakh people in more than 2,350 villages, is a national leader in ethical business practices and community development, advancing two decades of shared value creation for a brighter future.