CUTTACK: In a move aimed at upskilling the women entrepreneurs and expanding their digital competencies, the Odisha Rural Development and Marketing Society (ORMAS) in collaboration with Microsoft and International Labour Organisation (ILO) has come up with an intensive three-day workshop for them at the national-level Pallishree Mela in Balijatra here.
Being held in the conference hall at the ORMAS control room from Saturday, the workshop has brought together around 45 women entrepreneurs from Prachi FPO, Nabargha FPO, Gayatri SHG, Vishwashree SHG, Maa Annapurna SHG, Radha Raman SHG and Siddhalaxmi FPO.
Joint CEO, ORMAS Cuttack Bipin Rout said the programme focuses on providing practical digital skills to these entrepreneurs which they can apply in their business.
“The participants aren’t just learning theory, they are being given knowledge to develop websites and manage social media presence of their Balijatra stalls, including creating reels, promoting products, and posting across various platforms,” he added.
Rout further said that this hands-on approach will help the women entrepreneurs actively market their products digitally. “The training covers everything from building an online presence through social media and websites to understanding e-commerce linkages and digital payment systems. What makes this initiative particularly effective is its timing and context of conducting the workshop during Balijatra, allowing the participants to test their newly-acquired skills in real-time with customers and get immediate feedback,” he explained.
For many of these women entrepreneurs, this marks their first step into digital entrepreneurship, opening doors to markets far beyond the festival grounds, Rout said adding, such initiatives would strengthen the entrepreneurial ecosystem in rural Odisha, bridging the digital divide that has long kept talented women artisans and producers from reaching wider customers.