Indian School of Business, ANSR Foundation Launch EmpowHer for Women Micro-Entrepreneurs

Hyderabad, July 09, 2026: The Indian School of Business (ISB), through its Centre for Business Innovation, has partnered with ANSR Foundation and SAFA Society to launch EmpowHer, a structured capacity-building programme aimed at supporting women-led micro-enterprises in Hyderabad.

The initiative seeks to address a persistent gap faced by women entrepreneurs who, despite having strong products and local market knowledge, often lack access to formal credit, financial systems, digital tools, and structured growth frameworks.

Spearheaded by ANSR Foundation, EmpowHer is designed as an extension of the organisation's ongoing work with underserved women. The programme focuses on building dignified economic pathways through mentorship, financial access, and community-led growth.

Each participating enterprise will begin with a diagnostic assessment that evaluates strengths and gaps across operations, skills, and customer reach. Structured learning sessions and hands-on guidance will then be delivered across three focus areas: financial literacy, covering cash flow tracking, profit calculation, break-even analysis, and credit readiness; business growth, including branding, packaging, pricing, and value communication; and digital enablement, offering tools for visibility, payments, and customer access.

SAFA Society, the implementation lead, brings nearly two decades of experience working with women in Hyderabad, with expertise in micro-entrepreneurship and Self Help Groups.

"Women micro-entrepreneurs often carry sharp business instincts, but they may not always have access to the systems, language, and support that help an enterprise grow. This programme is designed to bridge that gap in a practical way. We are starting by understanding each business closely, then working with the entrepreneurs on finance, pricing, packaging, credit readiness, and digital access. For us at ISB, this is also an opportunity to learn from their lived experience and build insights that can inform better models for women-led enterprise development," said Anvesh Thirukovalluru, Associate Director, ISB Centre for Business Innovation, Indian School of Business.

"For many women running small businesses, growth is about being able to plan better, speak with more confidence, access credit without fear, and build something that gives their families a stronger future. At ANSR Foundation, we wanted this initiative to go beyond training sessions and create support that women can actually use in their everyday business decisions. Our partnership with ISB and SAFA Society brings together practical learning, financial readiness, digital tools, and market access in a way that respects where these entrepreneurs are today and helps them take the next step with confidence," said Caroline Fernandez-Ahuja, Managing Director, ANSR Foundation.

Rubina N F, Founder/President, SAFA Society, said, "We have embarked on a new partnership with ANSR Foundation in a region where women continue to face deep social and economic barriers. Through this initiative, our vision is to enable sustainable livelihoods by supporting women-led micro-entrepreneurship and building pathways toward long-term economic resilience. As the policy focus on financial inclusion continues to grow, this programme becomes even more relevant, helping women move beyond skills training toward greater access, agency, and participation in the formal financial ecosystem."

The programme will also feature an impact measurement and learning framework to track enterprise-level changes over time. Findings will be shared through case studies, policy briefs, and knowledge platforms.