This Startup Bridges Gender Gap With Programmes Tailor-Made For Indian Women

Indian women have been actively participating in the workforce for many years now. The numbers have undergone a roller-coaster ride, where they have experienced unprecedented highs and lows. Statistics suggest that female participation in the Indian workforce is set to increase, even though the numbers were adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

To encourage more participation, many non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and startups have developed ways to do so. Their programs uplift women from different walks of life, teaching them the necessary skills in the professional workforce. A company called 'Iron Lady' is doing exactly this. As the name suggests, it empowers Indian women, both urban and rural, by imparting sessions on leadership skills and other aspects to make them capable and independent.

Bridging The Gender Gap

A social entrepreneur and Iron Lady's Founder and CEO, Rajesh Bhat, wanted to address the glaring gender disparities that he noticed in his workplace. He tells The Logical Indian, "For years, I worked in the software industry. But as I learned more about the disparities in our society, I became inspired to do something to help close the gender gap. I founded Iron Lady, an organization dedicated to helping women achieve success in their careers."

The platform has several programmes that cater to women in the professional workforce. It trains 4000 women every month, irrespective of their class and background. Bhat adds, "It is not about numbers and urban/rural stats for us - it is about whichever woman decides to walk in or whoever we can reach out to - we help them grow multifold in a holistic way through our programs."

Iron Lady's programs are rooted in women's empowerment. From equipping them with skills to uplifting their socio-economic status, the startup teaches them the life skills they need to thrive in society. "The High-Impact Business Leadership Programs for Women range from Art of War and Strength-Based Excellence to Iron Lady Corporate Leadership Program. These courses are designed with a specific focus on improving the skills of female leaders, teaching them how they can be successful in their careers by adopting certain attitudes or techniques that have proven effective over time," the CEO explained to The Logical Indian.

Faced Initial' Teething Challenges'

Rajesh Bhat does not hesitate to admit that 'Iron Lady' had its initial hiccups. Our Indian society has unfairly conditioned women to keep their households ahead of anything else. As a result, they are forced to believe that their skills may be non-existent. The CEO goes on to explain it further, "Many women are either entirely unaware of their potential and the skills they can manifest and the others who are partially aware are conditioned from their childhood to feel embarrassed for any skill that could make them self-reliant. When we reach out to them, there is hesitation about them feeling selfish for up-skilling themselves or simply a 'too good to be a true scenario. "

The lack of faith in themselves often makes them feel inadequate. Bhat and his team faced several issues in convincing the women, as they thought they were being 'selfish' by joining the workforce. "We need to reassure these women that they are not being selfish when they think about their growth or how prioritizing themselves is something they should be aggressively protective and enthused about," Bhat added.

Conquering Challenges Successfully

These challenges have made 'Iron Lady' a massive success. They were able to convince the women by explaining the programmes' advantages, which include providing financial independence and being self-reliant. Slowly and steadily, they began to believe in the cause. Since then, the startup has been flying high.

Thanks to their efforts, several women completed their sessions with 'Iron Lady' and went on to join companies that give them annual raises and fruitful incentives. It has given them wings to fly, and they continue to soar high. Bhat excitedly told The Logical Indian, "We don't intend to create a literate robot who monetizes time to time but instead focuses on instilling confidence and self-esteem and enhancing their skills to reach their highest potential without having to depend on anyone. It is about self-reliance and building one's worth!

Therefore, Iron Lady is staring at a bright future as their efforts bear fruit. They want to keep throwing the spotlight on women's empowerment and emphasize the need to give women the respect they rightfully deserve. The CEO concludes, "By working together, we can create a future where all women are respected and valued for their unique talents and abilities. Envisaging to put our startup on a global map, we intend to increase our presence and thus increase the impact of the beacon of the light we are carrying."

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