Hyderabad, Mar 10: Women entrepreneurs, community leaders, government representatives, and local residents came together for ‘Dare to Dream’, an event organised by She & WE – Women Entrepreneurship Foundation in collaboration with Amazon India to spotlight women-led enterprises and community initiatives. The gathering, held to mark Women’s Day 2026, also celebrated two years of a joint social enterprise initiative implemented by She & WE to strengthen women’s livelihoods.
The entrepreneurship programme, supported by Amazon India as part of its community engagement efforts, focuses on improving women’s health and livelihood opportunities in communities around Amazon’s operational sites in Hyderabad. Through menstrual health awareness and hyperlocal hygiene initiatives, the programme has reached women and girls across twelve Gram Panchayats.
The initiative is part of Amazon India’s broader efforts to create meaningful impact in communities around its operational areas, advancing local livelihoods and women’s empowerment. This collaborative social enterprise model has delivered:
Bio-degradable sanitary napkin manufacturing units run by women from local communities
- 200+ change champions promoting menstrual hygiene and access to sanitary products
- 150+ hyperlocal women entrepreneurs running self-sustaining enterprises
- Menstrual hygiene awareness and education, reaching over 340,000 women and girls to date
Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Kruti Patel, Founder and Director, She & WE said, “Our projects and work in Telangana have been very encouraging. The women here prove that every individual can be an entrepreneur when given the right guidance, training, mentoring and coaching support. The success of more than 350+ women beneficiaries as entrepreneurs from the surrounding villages is a testimony to how they not only ‘Dare to Dream’ but also have the gumption to make their dreams a reality”
Adding to this, Salim Rafik Memon, Director, AMZL, India Operations, Amazon India, commented, “At Amazon, we focus on empowering women to transform their lives and livelihoods, in alignment with SDG frameworks, and India’s Viksit Bharat 2047 vision. The women of Telangana set the tone for the expansion of our women’s enterprise models. Prayatna sanitary napkin’s first manufacturing unit was set up and run here in Shamshabad Mandal, and its success spurred them to open another four units in different States.”
The celebration gala was graced with the presence of many representatives from the Government of Telangana. The day was replete with valuable conversations, workshops, exhibition and sale of products made by the women beneficiaries, and a touch of fun and games.
The women of Shamshabad Mandal testify to the power of women who ‘Dare to Dream’, and have the gumption to make these a reality, with the right mentoring.
