Self - Help Group Womenpreneurs: Unlocking Income Opportunities

 

Self - Help Group Womenpreneurs: Unlocking Income Opportunities

 

Date: 04.03.2026                                                                    

Time: 9.30 AM

Venue:  Anjur Village, Chengalpattu District, Tamil Nadu

No. of Participants: 35

Organizing Chairs

Dr. V. Thirumurugan

Associate Director (CL) Nodal Officer - UBA/SBM, SRMIST

 Dr. S. Vishali

Associate Professor & HOD/Chemical Engineering, SRMIST

 Convenor

Dr. S. Kiruthika, Associate Professor, Chemical Engineering, SRMIST

Coordinator

Mr. N.S. Sridhar, Sanitary Inspector, UBA Cell, SRMIST

Student Coordinators

1.      Mr. Balaguru K., Research Scholar, Chemical Engineering

2.      Mr. Dony Dimel S., II Year M. Tech., Chemical Engineering

3.      Mr. Eswaran T., IV Year B. Tech., Chemical Engineering

4.      Mr. Tamilarasan N., IV Year B. Tech., Chemical Engineering

5.      Mr. Prabu R. IV Year B. Tech., Chemical Engineering

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The Department of Chemical Engineering, College of Engineering and Technology, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur, organized an outreach program titled “Womenpreneurs: Unlocking Income Opportunities” in association with Unnat Bharat Abhiyan 2.0. The program was conducted on 04.03.2026 at 9:30 AM in Anjur Village, Chengalpattu District, Tamil Nadu.

The primary objective of the program was to empower women from Self Help Groups (SHGs) by providing practical training in simple and sustainable small-scale manufacturing techniques. The training focused on equipping participants with income-generating skills that can be easily implemented at the household level with minimal investment.

 

2. Objectives of the Programme

The outreach program aimed to:

·         To provide practical skill training to rural women on the preparation of products such as soap, soap oil, agarbathi, and sambarani for income generation.

·         To promote entrepreneurship among Self Help Group (SHG) members by introducing low-cost, small-scale manufacturing techniques that can be practiced at home.

·         To create awareness about quality control, safety practices, and basic marketing strategies for developing sustainable livelihood opportunities.

 

3. About the Programme

The outreach initiative “Womenpreneurs: Unlocking Income Opportunities” was designed as a hands-on skill development training program for rural women. The program focused on the simple and cost-effective preparation of the following products:

• Soap
• Soap oil (liquid soap base)
• Agarbathi (incense sticks)
• Sambarani (benzoin incense cups)

The training session provided practical demonstrations and interactive learning opportunities, enabling participants to understand the formulation methods, mixing procedures, moulding techniques, drying processes, and packaging methods.

Participants were also introduced to basic quality control measures, safety precautions during preparation, and strategies for marketing these products in local markets, which could help them start small entrepreneurial ventures.

4. Participation

The program witnessed enthusiastic participation from around 35 members of Self-Help Groups (SHGs) from Anjur village and nearby areas. The participants showed keen interest and active involvement throughout the training session.

The women were eager to learn the techniques and asked several questions regarding raw material sourcing, cost estimation, and selling strategies, indicating their motivation to adopt these skills for livelihood generation.

5. Training Activities Conducted

5.1 Soap Preparation

Participants were trained in the basic formulation and preparation of bathing soap. The training covered:

• Selection of raw materials
• Mixing of ingredients
• Moulding process
• Drying and curing techniques
• Cutting and packaging methods

The participants also learned about maintaining proper proportions and safety precautions while handling chemicals.

5.2 Soap Oil Preparation

The session included the preparation of soap oil (liquid soap formulation) using simple and locally available chemicals. Participants were trained in:

• Preparation of the soap base
• Mixing and homogenization
• Maintaining proper viscosity
• Storage and packaging methods

The trainers also explained how the product could be used for household cleaning purposes and marketed locally.

5.3 Agarbathi (Incense Stick) Making

A practical demonstration was conducted on the preparation of agarbathi. Participants were trained in:

• Preparation of incense powder mixture
• Rolling techniques for incense sticks
• Drying procedures
• Fragrance application
• Packaging methods

This activity generated significant interest among the participants since agarbathi production requires minimal investment and has good market demand.

5.4 Sambarani Preparation

The training also included the preparation of sambarani cups, which are commonly used for religious and household purposes. Participants learned:

• Preparation of the base mixture
• Shaping techniques
• Drying and curing process
• Storage and packaging methods

The trainers explained how these products can be sold in local markets, temples, and small shops.

6. Distribution of Training Kits

To encourage participants to continue practicing the skills learned during the session, training kits containing essential materials were distributed to all participants. The kits included basic ingredients and materials required for preparing soap, soap oil, agarbathi, and sambarani. The distribution of kits helped the participants gain confidence to initiate small-scale production at home.

7. Outcome of the Programme

The outreach program successfully achieved its objective of empowering rural women with practical entrepreneurial skills. The key outcomes of the program include:

• Enhanced awareness about small-scale income-generating opportunities.
• Improved confidence among women to start micro-enterprises.
• Transfer of practical technical knowledge from academia to rural communities.
• Strengthened community engagement through Unnat Bharat Abhiyan initiatives.

8. Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Addressed

The program contributes to the following SDGs:

• SDG 5: Gender Equality – Empowering women through skill development and livelihood opportunities.
• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth – Promoting entrepreneurship and income generation. 

 9. Conclusion

The outreach program “Womenpreneurs: Unlocking Income Opportunities” proved to be a highly impactful initiative, promoting skill development and entrepreneurial awareness among rural women. The enthusiastic participation and positive response from the SHG members reflected the relevance and importance of such community-oriented training programs.

The Department of Chemical Engineering, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, remains committed to conducting more such outreach initiatives in the future to support sustainable livelihood development and rural empowerment.

 

 

 

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