Google Rolls Out Program to Empower 1 Mn Women Entrepreneur in Rural India

Google is planning to assist about one million women entrepreneur in rural India by offering training, mentorship and accelerator programs. The tech giant has announced this news in an event that also marked the international women’s day. Through this program, Google would train more than one lakh women farmers in digital literacy. The event, #WomenWill would recognize the disproportionate burden of the women faced during the pandemic breakout. However, Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai has asserted the importance of providing opportunities for women.

He states, “Women are almost twice as likely to lose jobs during the pandemic and an estimated 20 million girls are at risk of not returning to school. We have the opportunity to build a future that is more inclusive—and we must take it.”

He added that Google.org, the philanthropic arm of the technology giant, would provide $25 million in grants globally to nonprofits and social enterprises that are working on empowering girls and women. Additionally, Google.org would be giving a grant of $500,000 to NASSCOM Foundation to support 1,00,000 women agri workers with digital and financial literacy.

Furthermore, Sundar stated, “When women have equal access to opportunity, we all benefit from their perspectives, creativity and their expertise, and this is true all over the world. Yet, when it comes to accessing opportunity, deep inequalities persist.”

Sudar also noted that women are almost twice as likely to lose their jobs during the pandemic and an approximation of about 20 million girls are at risk of not returning to school.