Workforce Development Programs

Meet Sania Zehra: Kashmir’s 20-Year-Old Bee Queen Building a Rs 2 Lakh/Month Empire, One Hive at a Time From the orchards of Balahama to global markets, Sania Zehra has redefined what rural entrepreneurship in Kashmir can look like. At just 20, she’s not just harvesting honey, she’s bottling transformation. 🍯 From Backyard Bees to Business Blitz Sania started with 35 bee colonies at 16. Today, she runs 300 colonies, producing 600 kg of premium organic honey annually. Her monthly revenue? Rs 2 lakh and rising. But this isn’t just about honey. It’s about how one young woman turned a family trade into a national and international brand. Her Sweet Success, By the Numbers: - 300 colonies today, up from 35 in 2021. - 600 kg/year organic honey production. - Rs 2 lakh/month** in revenue, with expansion on the horizon. - Exports to Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Dubai, South Africa & Qatar. - 10x growth in colony count and 4x in production in just 4 years. - CAGR of 70 %+ in capacity and revenue. 🐝 The Business Model: Tradition, Modernised 1️⃣ Migratory Beekeeping: Her colonies move across Kashmir, Punjab, and Rajasthan, ensuring year-round yield despite harsh winters. 2️⃣ Organic & Pure: No additives. No shortcuts. Sania’s honey stands out in a market plagued with adulteration. 3️⃣ Direct-to-Consumer: She skipped middlemen, opting for D2C sales, e-commerce, and exports. This keeps quality high and margins healthier. 4️⃣ Government Schemes, Smartly Used: Sania tapped into HADP and other schemes for scaling, training, and tech, turning state support into real impact. 🚀 What She’s Really Building - A Brand That Travels: From Srinagar’s hills to Middle East shelves, her product is already international. - A Role Model in Rural India: She’s part of a silent revolution, Kashmiri women entering agribusiness with skill and ambition. - A Blueprint for Agri-Entrepreneurs: She shows how modern branding, tech, and grit can transform even the most traditional ventures. 🌍 Untapped Potential She’s Exposed - Beekeeping’s Big Opportunity: Only 25,000 of Kashmir’s potential 2.5 lakh bee colonies are active. Sania’s model shows what’s possible if others step in. - Ecology Meets Economy: Her bees don’t just make honey, they boost apple, saffron, and almond yields. This is pollination with profit. - Global Demand, Local Gold: Premium, organic honey is a fast-growing global market. Sania is already tapping into it. Imagine if more did. - Women at the Helm: Her rise is pushing cultural boundaries and drawing more women into the workforce, on their terms. Sania isn’t just Kashmir’s “Bee Queen.” She’s a symbol of what happens when local knowledge meets modern ambition. A Rs 2 lakh/month operation built on tradition, purpose, and smart scaling. And she’s just getting started. #Entrepreneurship #Business #Leadership #India #Innovation #womenempowerment

I was moved by this story of how the Red Cross strengthens communities as our climate warms and the planet changes: "The weather that we are supposed to be experiencing at this time of the year should be dry and sunny instead it is wet and cold,” said Seru Ramakita of Navuevu, Fiji. As a result of the continuous rain, his community is now experiencing flooding for the first time in 50 years. In Fuji and around the world, we see that climate change impacts our futures and how we live today. It's today that worries young people like Robin Kaiwalu who has been affected by the recent floods. Robin joined the Y-Adapt program run by the Fiji Red Cross Society and sponsored by the Japanese Red Cross and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies - IFRC. Y-Adapt is a youth-based training program designed to educate, engage and inspire young people to take action and become climate change leaders in their communities. It also builds climate resilience through increased technical understanding and planning skills to take climate action. In Fiji, 60 youths have participated in the Y-Adapt program. Among them, 70% were unemployed or school dropouts. Some of these youths are now pursuing further studies in vocational studies, while others have found employment in hotels or are still seeking jobs. Through collective action and collaboration, youth like Robin can leverage their diverse ideas, skills and perspectives to tackle climate change challenges effectively. Robin's been volunteering for five months and says the program's been a great experience, allowing him to use his time and energy to help his community. Seru says that while his community is changing, he's hopeful to see volunteers like Robin making a difference. “It is very heartening to see our youths, the future leaders of tomorrow, taking the lead in helping their very own communities with such initiatives," he said. Link the the full photo essay and story in the comments.

In development, many of us see cash transfers as the kind of gold standard against which other programs are measured. It's rare to find interventions that outperform flat out cash. Well, it looks like economists have found something.... 🚲.... the simple and cost effective bicycle. Studies in India and Zambia looked at what providing bicycles to girls who live in rural areas and not immediately next to schools would do to school attendance, norms around girls' education, and performance. Results were impressive: ✔️ In India, there was a 32% increase in enrolment and a 40% reduction in the gap between girls and boys for secondary school education. Girls were also more likely to sit through exams (18% increase), and were more likely to pass (12%). ✔️ In Zambia, commuting time was cut by 35%; punctuality improved by 66%; and absenteeism declined by 27%. Long-term results also included measures around empowerment -- increased bargaining power, control and girls' aspirations. What was not expected, was that the value of girls in society also increased....increasing the bride price. This had the add on effect of increased early marriages and pregnancies. The researchers note that these results require important contextualization of how empowerment is understood and measured in different cultural contexts. Important take-aways from the research: 🚲 "Bicycle programmes are often more effective than cash transfers: Unlike direct cash transfers, which may not address structural issues, mobility-focused initiatives directly improve school accessibility and safety – critical factors in girls’ education." 🚲 "Scalability requires adaptability and context-specific implementation ....Rather than treating these programmes as universal solutions, they should be seen as adaptable frameworks that can be tailored to different socio-cultural contexts to break systemic barriers to education and empowerment." #Voxdev https://lnkd.in/enrNXMd5

Workplaces Do It, So Can Schools: Real-World Relevance Keeps Girls In STEM 👩🏽🔬 "Women comprise only 28% of the STEM workforce in the United States. And a recent survey by MetLife found that women in STEM were nearly twice as likely than women in other industries to say they are considering leaving the workforce, citing burnout, being passed over for promotions, not being paid equally, and lack of purposeful and meaningful work. Studies focusing on college and the workforce have consistently shown that when women understand the impact of STEM on improving the world, they’re more likely to persist in STEM classes, majors, and fields. According to new research from the University of Wisconsin–Madison, simply asking college students to explain in writing how the scientific concept they’re studying applies either to their own life or to helping others led more people, especially those under-represented in STEM, to stay in the field. Judith Harackiewicz, the professor who studies motivation and whose lab found these results, thinks these short prompts tap into a powerful source of motivation: relevance. A recent study by Girls Who Code in conjunction with Logitech found that an overwhelming majority of women (92%) said the ability to make a meaningful contribution to society is a primary factor in their career progression. Delphine Donné, General Manager, Creativity & Productivity at Logitech, told me it was 'eye-opening' to see the 'importance of inspiring women of the role they can have and understanding the impact of their work.' A clear take-away for teachers wanting to keep more girls engaged in STEM, Donné underscored, is to emphasize the impact of what you can do in STEM fields and that it isn’t 'technical or boring.'" #WomenInSTEM #GirlsInSTEM #STEMGems #GiveGirlsRoleModels https://lnkd.in/g_HDY4cy

Everyday, I count myself extremely lucky to be associated with organisations like READ India. Here's a story out of the 100s we hear everyday. Faced with the devastating death of her brother during Covid19, and loss of financial resources, Sandhya Shrikrushna Salte, joined a READ India course on Food Processing in Kathoda village, Yavatmal, India. She soon launched her own home-based business, "Gopi Gruh Udyog", learnt how to use social media to promote her products, earning currently over Rs. 50,000/pm. Her success story is an inspiration to her other colleagues from the same centre. READ India recognises that women often face special barriers to education, formal employment, economic independence, perpetuating gender inequity and inequality. Which is why they have paid special attention to curating their trainings to focus on close-to-home, centre-based ones that can be provided online - the resultant activities can be completed either at the centre or at home. By equipping women with marketable skills and resources, these programs catalyse a process to break the cycle of poverty & empower women to actively participate in economic activities, promoting their social and economic wellbeing. Greater attention has been paid to women from minority communities & differently abled women so that solutions are created for a diverse group of women. READ India's skilling programs empowers women like Sandhya with necessary tools and knowledge to secure gainful employment or start their own micro-enterprises, in sectors with significant opportunities for self-employability. The impact has been profound and multifaceted: - Economic Empowerment: Partners gain skills and knowledge to access sustainable employment or start businesses, leading to increased income and financial independence. - Enhanced Social Status: New skills and economic independence improve the women's social standing, making them role models and leaders in their communities. - Improved Self-Confidence: Acquiring and applying new skills boosts women’s' self-esteem and empowers them to take on challenges. - Community Development: The program fosters self-reliance and economic empowerment, leading to individual success and broader community development initiatives. READ India put this model into practice in 2007, 17 years ago, and have created over 60 Community Library and Resource Centres (CLRCs) nationwide reaching more than 170,000 unique individuals. Lead by Geeta Malhotra and ably assisted by Smita Rai, READ has stood with 50,000+ women. The impact of Read India has been evaluated by their corporate partners, Accenture and Culvar Max. Their evaluation noted that the slow change in economic status or the growth of women’s participation in economic activities is further responsible for more respect for women, both in the community and household. On International Women's Day we stand in solidarity with all the women from READ. #skilling #womenempowerment #genderequality #IWD2025

Women are still underrepresented in Australia’s tech sector, and the gap starts early. By the time students reach university, many young women have already ruled out careers in tech — mainly because they don’t see it as a viable path for them. While IT was one of my favourite subjects in school (shoutout Shane Skillen Brendon Thomas) I still felt daunted by STEM degrees and thought Tech was for ultra high performing, deeply analytical minds. But here’s the thing — tech isn’t just coding or highly technical as the name suggests. The industry is full of roles in strategy, product, design, finance, operations and beyond. With alternate career paths becoming more common, there are so many ways to enter the space, even without a traditional STEM degree. A recent Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand remuneration survey found that less than half of its members have “Accountant” in their job title. That’s proof of increasing career diversity and evolution in areas of expertise. Skillsets are transferable — something we should be telling young women early on. There’s too much pressure on young people to choose the right degree at the outset. Reality is, there are many successful career paths that can thrive without traditional qualifications. However, you can’t be what you can’t see. There is so much importance in visibility of female founders, tech leaders and innovators through mentorship, guest talks and career development programs. Tech isn’t just for people who love maths and coding — it’s for problem solvers, creatives and big picture thinkers. Encouraging girls to experiment with coding, product design and entrepreneurship can make Tech more accessible. School programs, hackathons and early work experiences all help build confidence. Let’s help more young women see that tech is a place where they can belong, build and lead. Let’s open doors and help them explore opportunities. Here are some powerhouse women to follow in this space: — Annie Liao 🇦🇺 — Patricia Haueiss — Casey Flint What else can we do to support women exploring careers in tech?

Vancouver has figured out how to go green... By re-training its residents Turning its people into: ✅ Construction specialists (retrofitters, energy auditors) ✅ Clean Tech workers (solar installers, heat pump techs) ✅ Urban Agriculture experts (vertical farmers, food system) The aim: → Target economically distressed areas first → Create pathways for women in construction → Train local communities for future skills How does it work → 15-30 week paid training programs → Wage subsidies up to 75% → Priority hiring from local communities → Focus on ages 15-30 for youth employment The Real Numbers: ✅ 40+ women leaders supported through W4C Program ✅ Thousands of new green jobs created ✅ Local talent getting priority access Why This Matters: • Climate action creates opportunities • Local hiring reduces commutes • Diverse workforce = better solutions The Game-Changer: They're not just fighting climate change... They're transforming who benefits from it. Which city needs this model next? Drop your thoughts below 👇

I’ve been on the board of UTMT Society for a while now; it’s the non-profit arm of Under The Mango Tree, a social enterprise company with a purpose that’s as sweet as its name. UTMT was founded by a wonderfully inspirational friend, Vijaya Pastala, and UTMT Society is run by another inspirational woman, Sujana Krishnamoorthy. At UTMT Society, we work with small and marginalised farmers across Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, and Gujarat, helping them install bee boxes on their farms. 86% of India’s farmers are small and marginalised. So what UTMT Society does is vital. What might sound like a small initiative has a ripple effect. Both ecological and economic. Bees are one of the most critical species on our planet. They quietly hold together the food chain, ensuring pollination and biodiversity. Four out of five foods we eat – fruits, vegetables, pulses and oilseeds – require bees for pollination. Honey bees are the most important among all pollinators. Through our work, we’re not only repopulating India’s indigenous bees like "Apis cerana indica" and "Trigona" to increase agricultural productivity and enhance biodiversity incomes and livelihoods of marginal farmers in India. By boosting farm productivity and farmer incomes, everyone benefits. And it's bees who help make that happen!  More bees mean better crops. It’s that simple. One of my favorite parts of this work is seeing how it empowers women.  Many of our women beekeepers started out afraid to even go near a hive.  Today, they manage their own colonies and earn independent incomes. One young woman even bought her first scooter through her beekeeping income. Small wins, big impact. It’s a reminder that change doesn’t always come through big, sweeping programs. Sometimes it’s as small (and as powerful) as a bee on a flower!! #beekeeping #sustainability #women #empowerment

This week I attended the Youth Entrepreneurship For the Future of Food and Agriculture organized by AGRA and Mastercard Foundation where I made my submissions on the Gender Nexus recognizing the efforts that Pan African Climate Justice Alliance PACJA, KENYA PLATFORM FOR CLIMATE GOVERNANCE and Nairobi summer school on climate justice Summer school are making intentional involvement of more young women in the climate space. To design gender-inclusive policies and programs that support young female farmers, several key factors should be considered: 1. Access to land and resources: - Implement land reform policies that ensure women have equal rights to own, inherit, and use land - Provide targeted credit and financial services tailored to young women's needs and circumstances 2. Education and training: - Develop agricultural education programs specifically aimed at young women - Offer mentorship opportunities connecting experienced female farmers with younger ones - Provide training on modern farming techniques, technology, and business management 3. Technology and innovation: - Promote access to and training on agricultural technologies that can reduce labor burdens - Support women-led innovation in farming practices and tools 4. Market access: - Create programs to connect young female farmers with markets and value chains - Support women's agricultural cooperatives and associations 5. Child care and family support: - Implement policies that provide childcare support for farming families - Promote shared household responsibilities to allow women more time for farming activities 6. Gender-sensitive extension services: - Train agricultural extension workers on gender-inclusive approaches - Ensure female representation among extension workers 7. Decision-making and leadership: - Promote women's participation in agricultural policy-making and local governance - Support women's leadership in farmer organizations and rural institutions 8. Cultural and social norms: - Engage community leaders and men in promoting gender equality in agriculture - Implement awareness campaigns to challenge stereotypes about women in farming 9. Health and safety: - Address specific health and safety concerns of women in agriculture - Provide access to reproductive health services in rural areas 10. Data collection and analysis: - Collect gender-disaggregated data on young farmers to inform policy-making - Conduct regular assessments of the impact of policies on young female farmers Happy to have met other Agriculture and Food Systems Champions like Amanda Namayi. #Gender #ClimateJustice #NCSSJ4 #ClimateAction

Another interesting guide developed with Lutomia Kweyu to address the gender gap in accessing and utilizing digital technologies within agriculture. It provides strategies for policymakers, extension workers, development practitioners, technology developers, and farmers to integrate gender perspectives into their work. The guide emphasizes the empowerment of women and youth farmers by adopting digital solutions and enhancing productivity and food security. Key sections include an overview of traditional gender roles in agriculture, the challenges faced by women and marginalized groups, and opportunities for empowerment through digital technologies. The guide highlights the importance of designing inclusive technologies and implementing effective training programs to increase digital literacy. Furthermore, it advocates for supportive policy frameworks that promote gender equity in access to technology and resources. The guide seeks to ensure an inclusive agricultural environment that leverages digital innovations for sustainable development. The ultimate goal is to empower all farmers, ensuring equitable access to production technologies, information, markets, and financial services, thereby contributing to a more resilient agrifood system. https://lnkd.in/dFAEyk4i