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 in business through livelihood education allows them to actively improve their family’s socio-economic standing should they choose to do so.
This often creates a ripple effect, fostering economic stability, expanding opportunities for future generations, and building a more inclusive community that values and celebrates women’s contributions.
RYTHM has nurtured female entrepreneurs through its immersive programmes and strong partnerships in many locations, including South Asia, Indo-China, and Africa.
Setting Up Female Entrepreneurs with the Right Tools
Remote rural communities face unique challenges in accessing information, tools, and logistics. RYTHM studies these areas closely, using capacity planning to help communities overcome these hurdles and drive transformation.
One of the Foundation’s focus is on business mentorship in rural entrepreneurship, a prime example being a 2019 partnership between RYTHM and LEADS Sri Lanka 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 sustainable skills in cooking, vegetable farming, and leather and palmyra product making.
The ongoing project aims to empower disadvantaged women in Sri Lanka to secure sustainable work or start small businesses, giving them independence and control over their futures.
Another fruitful partnership that aimed to uplift women to become female entrepreneurs was RYTHM’s collaboration with Parinaama Development Foundation in the rural states of Eastern India.
The business mentorship programme provided training for technical and business skills, focusing on empowering women through microenterprises, such as mushroom farming, garment production, and manufacturing essential products.
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, women’s roles are so strictly defined that taking control of their family’s finances is seen as unconventional.
Even in more equal societies, women still face disparities in education, skills development, employment, and pay.
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 empowered through WISE have successfully established microenterprises, demonstrating the value of empowering women in business and rural entrepreneurship.
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, 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 establishing 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 women and their communities. By aligning with community needs, collaborating with beneficiaries, and fostering a supportive network, these livelihood projects drive the growth of rural microenterprises and encourage ongoing collaboration.
RYTHM continues to partner with NGOs and foundations to empower women in rural communities. To learn more about our women empowerment efforts, explore our Empowerment Agenda, aligned with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SGD) for Quality Education, Gender Equality, Decent Work and Economic Growth, and Reduced Inequalities.
