Fifty exceptional women leaders selected for the 2024-2025 WomenLeaders India Fellowship powered by Reliance Foundation and Vital Voices

“When women lead, we make impossible change a reality”, says Ms Isha Ambani

• Women social sector leaders and social entrepreneurs from across India, selected for their work in  Climate Resilience, Education, Livelihoods and Sports for Development
• The Fellows will be engaged in a 10-month structured programme with access to a network of global leaders and experts
• Through the second round of this Fellowship, Reliance Foundation is taking forward its agenda for  women empowerment to enhance India’s development sector ecosystem

Reliance Foundation and Vital Voices are excited to announce the selection of 50 exceptional women  chosen for the 2024-2025 WomenLeaders India Fellowship. This second cohort of the Fellowship  identifies women with deep commitment to driving change and change within their communities as social  sector leaders and social entrepreneurs.

During India’s G20 Presidency in 2023 the focus shifted for the first time, from women’s development to  women-led development. India’s collective and unwavering dedication to champion ‘Gender Equality and  Empowering All Women and Girls’ secured a firm place in the G20 New Delhi Leaders’ Declaration.

In line with this vision, the WomenLeaders India Fellowship will provide leadership capacity building for  talented women leaders, including social sector leaders and social entrepreneurs.

The WomenLeaders India Fellowship 2024-2025 kicked off with an in-person convening in Mumbai on  September 13-14, 2024, where the Fellows had the opportunity to connect and learn from a range of  experts in the social sector from India and around the world.

Speaking on the launch announcement, Ms Isha Ambani, Director, Reliance Foundation,said, “When  women lead, we make impossible positive change a reality, we bring new ideas and perspectives to the  table. Congratulations to the 50 Fellows selected for WomenLeaders India Fellowship 2024-25 powered  by Reliance Foundation and Vital Voices! The strong networks, joy and learning that women bring to other  women, is the foundation of this Fellowship to strengthen and amplify social sector impact. We are  privileged to be part of this programme in creating transformations together for the social sector.”

“We are thrilled to partner with Reliance Foundation to support India’s next generation of women leaders  who are truly at the forefront of driving social change. We believe that by harnessing and leveraging our  collective network and resources, we are able to provide women leaders with support, mentorship and  guidance as they strive to be a catalyst for change in India and beyond,” said Ms Alyse Nelson, President  and CEO of Vital Voices Global Partnership.

Throughout the next ten months, the Fellows will work on their own personalized project to advance the  SDGs (sustainable development goals), and will be supported with leadership development webinar  trainings with Indian and global experts, to enhance their unique skill set and build their network.  Additionally, each Fellow will have access to mentors for personalised guidance for the duration of their  journey, as well as having the opportunity for peer-to-peer learning from the current and alumni Fellows.  The WomenLeaders India Fellowship will end with a final in-person gathering where Fellows will reflect on  their overall progress on their SDG projects and celebrate their accomplishments. WomenLeaders India seeks to build a strong community of women leaders in the social sector and ignite sustainable change  across India by leveraging the power of women-led development across India.

The WomenLeaders India Fellows 2024-25 are recognised for their impactful work across four critical  areas: Climate Resilience, Education, Sports for Development, and Livelihood Generation, using innovative  solutions to address some of India’s most pressing challenges. From empowering future generations to  transforming communities, these Fellows are leading efforts for lasting economic, social, and  environmental change, advancing gender equality and strengthening community resilience through  collaborative, forward-thinking initiatives and are true catalysts for change.

In the inaugural cohort in December 2022, Fellows were selected for their work on Education,Rural  Transformation, strengthening livelihoods, as well as Sports for Development from various organisations,  working at the grassroots level across rural and semi-urban areas of the country. Working on a range of  issues and geographies from waste management in southern coastal villages to affordable energy sources  in north-east India the first cohort Fellows reported increased leadership opportunities, enhanced  confidence and improved participation in SDG-related projects in their work.

Learn more about the Fellows and follow the programme on social media using #WomenLeadersIndia.

–Jothi.S