Photo Courtesy: nenow
Guwahati: PepsiCo India opened a Development Hub in Chengnoi, Nalbari, to bolster women-led businesses through the regional Eri silk trade. The site operates under the company's RevolutioNari initiative alongside the Mrida Heart 'N' Soil Foundation. It provides technical training, funding, and direct market access for rural women.
The project arrives alongside a new PepsiCo food factory in Nalbari. It aims to revitalize a craft traditionally held by the Bodo community. Production historically suffered from slow manual methods and thin profit margins. Now, solar-powered spinning machines boost yarn output by 2.5 times. The facility houses 10 of these machines plus two looms with jacquard attachments.
Results are already visible. The number of households linked to the silk chain climbed from two to nearly 30. More than 3,510 women engaged in mobilization programs, while 100 finished training in five distinct trades. Thirty women now work specifically across the silk value chain. Three product lines sit ready for commercial sale. Twenty-five families received Pehchan Cards and Yarn Passbooks for formal handloom registration.
Yashika Singh, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer for PepsiCo India and South Asia, stated, "At PepsiCo India, our RevolutioNari initiative is fueled by the belief that inclusive growth begins at the community level, when women have the skills, confidence and opportunities to shape their own futures."
The program leverages blockchain for tracking products to attract premium buyers. It connects workers to the Weavers' Service Centre in Guwahati for subsidies. Women may also apply for MUDRA loans between Rs 50,000 and Rs 5 lakh to scale their operations. Leaders hope to replicate this village-as-a-hub model across other Assam districts.
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