NTPC Limited, India’s largest integrated power company, is gearing up to launch the latest edition of Girl Empowerment Mission (GEM), its flagship Corporate Social Responsibility initiative. The program aligns with the Government of India's Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao initiative and aims to tackle gender inequality by nurturing girls' imaginations and fostering their ability to explore opportunities. GEM does this through a 1-month workshop for young girls during summer holidays, by offering them a platform for their all-round upliftment and development.

Starting from April 2024, the new edition of GEM will add nearly 3,000 meritorious children belonging to underprivileged sections of the society at 42 identified locations of the power sector PSU. With this, the total number of children benefiting from the Mission will cross 10,000.

The GEM Mission, initiated as a pilot project in 2018 with just three locations and 392 participants, has flourished into a nationwide movement. Despite challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021, the program has continued to expand its reach and impact. Till date, it has benefited a total of 7,424 girls, with the number of participants steadily increasing each year. In 2023 alone, 2,707 girls participated in the workshop across 40 locations of NTPC, spanning 16 states of India.

The Mission focuses on the empowerment of girls through various interventions and aims to identify and nurture their leadership qualities, so that they can be future-ready. The workshop focuses on health, hygiene, safety, fitness, sports and yoga.

The GEM Workshop has garnered widespread acclaim for its holistic approach to skill development, confidence-building, and mentorship. By equipping girls with essential tools and unwavering support, NTPC aims to pave the way for a brighter future for upcoming generations. It seeks to empower girls to become catalysts of change, influencing not only themselves but also their families, communities, and the nation as a whole.

***

PIB DELHI | Dheep Joy Mampilly