CSR: Empowering “She-roes”
India is a country where women still find fighting for their rights and gaining the socio-economic status they deserve an uphill task. There is a constant need for a respectable life and the desperation of being able to make ends meet amongst the women. The lure of leading a luxurious lifestyle has motivated women from various walks of life, be it homemakers, part-timers or beginners. The Direct Selling Industry comes in like a knight in shining armour for these women, giving them a chance to support their families by earning additional income.
Direct selling is always considered to be one of the most effective ways to empower women as it gives them the leverage of time and place to balance their work and personal life effectively.
In order to boost women empowerment and give them easy access into the business, Netsurf has introduced a special project for women, called ‘Project ASMITA’. The women direct sellers at Netsurf are called ‘Asmitas’. The project features special business offers and considerations for the active women’s force at Netsurf adhering to their style of working. Under this project, the organisation conducts special training programs for registered women on various topics such as Product training, Retailing techniques, Business FAQs amongst others. These training sessions equip them to conduct their respective business independently.
The company ensures that the target achievers are rewarded appropriately so that the motivation among the Asmita direct sellers is fuelled from time to time. Apart from this, it provides special privileges to Asmitas by providing them with products at discounted rates so that the capital investment for women remains feasible.
The Asmitas are also ecstatic about the fact that they get opportunities to work with people from various backgrounds which gives them significant exposure to learn and socialize simultaneously.
To further simplify the business model for women, Netsurf has introduced a mobile app for its distributors wherein they can handle all the business activities online through their mobile phones. Using this mobile app, they can easily share product videos and other information with their contacts and generate orders. Today, many Asmitas across the country have downloaded these applications and portals, and are managing their business from home.
Vandana Khandare is a make-up artist from Nagpur and runs her own salon. She says, “I was impressed with the results of Herbs & More – the personal care brand of Netsurf Network. I started my second career with Netsurf by retailing products amongst my salon clients and I soon turned this career mode ON for full time. I earned a handsome income worth Rs 15 lacs in last FY along with an international trip. I believe that I have earned something beyond mere monetary benefits at Netsurf. I feel much secured with the mediclaim policy and assured about the nominee facility that I avail at Netsurf Network. It simply means that I can create my own business legacy & it will go on even after me, and that’s something makes me hooked up to my career at Netsurf.”
Kinjal Patel, an Asmita direct seller from Ahmedabad says, “I was quite impressed with one of my colleagues at my workplace in Nadiad, Gujarat. I loved her confidence & lifestyle. Later I got to know that she was working with Netsurf Network. I too joined this company’s business and was impressed again with the special treatment all the women direct sellers receive here. It was very inspiring and rewarding! With the right training and support, I earned Rs 17 lacs within my last four years with Netsurf. Also, I was super proud when I took my husband on a trip to Hong Kong! Netsurf changed my life for good because I could earn a lot of small pleasures in life which gave me a sense of contentment in life.”
This project is hugely successful across all regions and is instrumental in transforming the lives of many women associated with Netsurf. Project ASMITA is getting traction not only from bigger cities like Pune, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Kolkata and Delhi but even from cities beyond metros such as Thane, Solapur, Nagpur, Nashik, Satara, etc. Buddha Rani Limbua from Sikkim, initially a consumer of Netsurf products became a direct seller with Netsurf herself and started retailing the products in her social circle. She has earned Rs 17 Lacs till date at Netsurf. Despite poor transportation facilities, she travels across the villages in Sikkim to boost confidence in rural women, giving them her own example so that they could earn a good life with this business.
Today Netsurf Network has more than 2.87 lakh Asmitas across India and they have contributed 27.56% to the company’s turnover in the year 2017-18. It aims at achieving the ideal 50%-50% ratio of male: female direct sellers in the coming 3 years.
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Regards,
The CSR Journal Team
