RYTHM Foundation, the QI Group’s corporate social responsibility arm, directs thoughtful efforts to empower rural women through livelihood education and entrepreneurship.
Spanning continents, the Foundation has spearheaded long-term programmes designed to equip female entrepreneurs in their unique communities with the skills and knowledge to start their enterprises or make their existing businesses thrive on their own.
Empowering women through livelihood education allows them to actively improve their family’s socioeconomic standing, should they choose to do so.
This often creates a positive ripple effect in their communities, leading to greater economic stability, increased opportunities for future generations, and a more inclusive environment where women’s contributions are valued and celebrated.
RYTHM has nurtured female entrepreneurs through its immersive programs and strong partnerships in many locations, including South Asia, Indo-China, and Africa.
Setting Up Female Entrepreneurs with the Right Tools
Due to their remote location, rural communities come with unique challenges surrounding access to information, tools, and logistics, among other hurdles. RYTHM closely examines these remote locations and studies how the communities can be transformed through capacity planning to navigate these challenges.
A prime example of this is a 2019 partnership between RYTHM Foundation and LEADS Sri Lanka, particularly in the Mullaitivu, Kilinochchi, and Jaffa districts, where more than 70% of the villagers live in poverty. The Community-based Rehabilitation Programme (CBR) equipped women with skills to support themselves sustainably. There were programmes for cooking, vegetable farming, as well as production of leather and palmyra products.
The ongoing project should serve as a springboard for the disadvantaged women in Sri Lanka to find sustainable work or even launch their small enterprises, granting them independence and agency to shape their futures.
Another fruitful partnership that aimed to uplift women to become female entrepreneurs was RYTHM’s collaboration with the Parinaama Development Foundation in the rural states of Eastern India.
The microenterprises programme provided training for technical and business skills for women in the area, including programmes for mushroom farming, garments, manufacturing and distributing soap, face masks, sanitary pads, and other female essentials.
Driving Conversations on Gender Equality
Women’s empowerment goes hand-in-hand with bridging the gender equality gap by providing equal opportunities.
In some rural communities where patriarchal values are the norm, there is a demographic of women whose roles are too strictly defined that taking the reins of their family’s finances is considered unconventional.
In more equal societies where women proactively contribute to their households economically, disparities in opportunities for education, skills development, employment, and pay still exist.
RYTHM’s first Community Adoption Programme (CAP), a collaboration with the NGO Good Shepherd Services in rural Sabah, Malaysia, is a proactive example of narrowing the gender gap through one of its critical components called the Women in Small Enterprises (WISE) initiative.
Female entrepreneurs who emerged from the WISE programme in three participating villages set up various micro-enterprises, ranging from crafting necklaces and growing fresh produce to creating food brands from local fruits.
Preparing Young Girls for a Future as Strong Women
RYTHM believes in starting girls early in their journey towards empowerment to become strong and capable women who can chart their paths and create meaningful change in their communities.
“If you educate a girl child, she will be empowered when she becomes a woman. Women are half the world’s population, so why leave that potential behind?” states Datin Sri Umayal Eswaran, the Chairperson of RYTHM Foundation.
Our commitment to inspiring young girls is reflected in the establishment of the Maharani Schools Programme (MSP), a comprehensive training initiative designed to empower girls aged 14 to 16, helping them reach their full potential and become change-makers within their communities.
Endorsed by Malaysia’s Education Ministry, the programme primarily focuses on teenagers from low-income B40 households, including beneficiaries in rural areas.
Building on this initiative, the Maharani Learning Lab further supports marginalised adolescent girls by offering academic assistance, digital initiatives, and empowerment workshops, nurturing their potential and equipping them with the tools they need to thrive.
Sustainable Success for Female Entrepreneurs
RYTHM Foundation’s initiatives to empower female entrepreneurs are set to flourish sustainably beyond the initial funding phase, creating lasting impact for the women and their communities. From aligning with the community’s needs and collaborating closely with the beneficiaries to nurturing a supportive network of women and clients, these livelihood projects allow continued collaboration and drive the growth of their microenterprises.
RYTHM continues to partner with NGOs and foundations to make a difference in women’s lives in rural communities. To learn more about our women empowerment efforts, read about our Empowerment Agenda in line with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SGD) for Quality Education, Gender Equality, Decent Work and Economic Growth, and Reduced Inequalities.