JSP Foundation Empowers Women and Girls

JSP Foundation, the CSR arm of Jindal Steel & Power (JSP), today launched the second iteration of the Yashasvi initiative, expanding its scope to provide financial help to more women and girls from disadvantaged parts of society. 5122 women and girls from Odisha, Jharkhand, and Chhattisgarh received scholarship award letters from JSP Foundation Chairperson Smt. Shallu Jindal, who also inaugurated the programme.

“Quality education and skill development is still a challenge for many women and girls who belong to disadvantaged sections of society,” Smt. Jindal said when introducing the programme. Yashasvi is a step toward giving women and girls the tools they need to break through the glass ceiling by enhancing their education and skill sets.

The JSP Foundation’s flagship programme, Yashasvi, helps deserving women and girls from lower socioeconomic strata in Odisha, Chhattisgarh, and Jharkhand who are prevented from receiving an education or developing their skills due to financial constraints. The chosen students are given financial help for the course cost and other fees related to pursuing academic or vocational training in professional or general streams at the institutions/colleges of their choice. The first phase, which began in August 2022, provided support to 508 girls. In the fiscal year 2022–2023, JSP Foundation has allotted Rs. 12 crore for this endeavour.

JSP Foundation

JSP Foundation received over 10,000 applications for the second round, of which 5122 girls and women enrolled in various 326 educational institutions throughout 10 States were chosen. Out of the 2823, women and girls are pursuing their education in a variety of professions, including nursing, social science, law, engineering, management, commerce, social work, pharmacy, and others. In a similar vein, 2299 women and girls are pursuing careers in data entry, retail management, hospitality, IT, hardware for computers, and beauty therapy. Direct financial aid payments will be made by the Foundation to the institutions where the students are enrolled.

Prashant Kumar Hota, President and Group Head of CSR at JSP, emphasised the goals and mission of the initiative. He expressed gratitude to the ladies, girls, and other institutions for the overwhelming support for the programme.

The event was attended by JSP’s Group CEO for the Steel Division, D.K. Saraogi, Executive Directors for Raigarh and Tamnar, Mr. Chhabinath Singh and Sabyasachi Bandyopadhyay, and CSR Heads for all Units. The vote of thanks was given by Mr. Hridayeshwar Jha, executive director of JSP (Angul).