St. Xavier’s College, Kolkata has introduced a new initiative called Udaan to improve the livelihoods of rural women living near its Raghabpur campus on the southern outskirts of Kolkata. The programme focuses on helping women become financially independent through skill-based training and income-generating opportunities.

The project was formally launched on March 8 to coincide with International Women’s Day. The initiative is being carried out by the college’s alumni association in collaboration with the gender studies department.

More than 250 women from nearby villages have already registered for the programme. They will receive training in small groups of around 25 participants at a time. The training will focus on creating handmade products such as designer envelopes, rakhis, gift bags, pickles and similar items.

Skill trainer Sangita Sureka, along with the philanthropy team of the St. Xavier’s College (Calcutta) Alumni Association, will supervise the training and help with marketing the finished products. The association will also supply the required raw materials and provide payment to the women for their work.

The products will be sold in the market, and the income generated will be reinvested to expand the initiative in the future. The project aims to build a sustainable system where rural women can gain skills, earn an income and support their families and communities.

The Raghabpur campus, located in South 24 Parganas about 35 kilometres from central Kolkata, was established around ten years ago and now has more than 1,200 students. A majority of the students are women, many coming from economically disadvantaged backgrounds and often representing the first generation in their families to pursue higher education.

College officials believe that the alumni network will play an important role in creating effective marketing channels for the products produced through the programme. In recent years, the Raghabpur campus has also introduced new academic offerings, including a hospitality management course.