
Breaking Gender Stereotypes & Empowering Women, One Delivery at a Time
The e-commerce industry in India has undergone an extraordinary boom, completely transforming the way people meet their everyday needs and laying the foundation for a cutting-edge future.
While the spotlight often falls on the customer-facing aspects of this revolution, one critical component that often goes unnoticed is logistics—the backbone that ensures seamless delivery. Historically, logistics has been a male-dominated sector with limited female representation.
However, to rectify this gender imbalance and embrace diversity, numerous companies are actively recruiting and empowering women across various departments, resulting in a remarkable increase in female participation across industries.
Organizations are taking strong initiatives to train women and disseminate awareness of the numerous job opportunities available in the logistics industry. One of these trailblazers is a Delhi-based company called "Even Cargo," known for being India's first logistics company composed completely of women. This unique initiative has received widespread acclaim for its efforts to debunk gender stereotypes and provide opportunities for women in an area traditionally dominated by men.
The emergence of Even Cargo represents a fundamental shift in how women are perceived in the transportation sector. The organization wants to empower women and show off their abilities in a field where they have been underrepresented by hiring only women.
This innovative project not only creates job possibilities for women but also serves as a role model for other logistics firms, motivating them to promote diversity and gender equality within their own operations.
Moreover, the inclusion of women in the logistics sector brings forth a host of advantages. Women bring unique skills and perspectives to the table, contributing to enhanced problem-solving, communication, and customer service. By diversifying the workforce, companies gain access to a wider range of talents, leading to
increased innovation and improved overall performance.
Beginning of The Journey
Yogesh Kumar began his entrepreneurial journey with the goal of enabling women to enter traditionally male-dominated fields when he founded Even Cargo.
Even Cargo, an e-commerce logistics provider, hires only women from underrepresented groups. These women receive training in self-defense, customer service, and scooter operation. Yogesh's ultimate goal is to empower women, advance gender equality, and improve women's safety in public places by providing them with jobs.
Yogesh was moved by a shocking incident in 2012 when he was a young engineer and saw a young woman tragically victimized by a group of men committing sexual assault on a bus. This incident sparked nationwide protests demanding action to ensure the safety of women in public places.
It changed Yogesh's life forever, inspiring him to leave his engineering job and pursue a degree in social entrepreneurship instead. His primary goal shifted to empowering women in underdeveloped areas.
Yogesh has led numerous gender-focused initiatives in the Delhi area over the past three years. He established Even Cargo in 2016 after realizing that giving economically marginalized women access to respectable employment would help them escape poverty. He also aimed to give them the confidence to challenge stereotypes and enter the traditionally male-dominated fields of work.
Impact Created
This trailblazing startup is on a mission to disprove the widely held belief that it is unusual to see women riding scooters and delivering packages throughout the city. Their unwavering commitment is to empower women and provide them with the skills they need to pursue professions that defy traditional norms, thereby dismantling stereotypes associated with gender-specific industries.
India still has a lot of work to do to ensure women are safe in public. Even today, many families are hesitant to let their daughters work away from home. Therefore, getting women to work in logistics was a difficult task for Even Cargo.
Due to this, women were discouraged from pursuing careers as delivery professionals due to prevalent societal mindsets. Despite these challenges, Even Cargo was able to put together a dedicated team.
They started with just two women and have since grown to 150 girls who efficiently operate delivery services for major e-commerce companies. Recognizing the importance of safety, the women at Even Cargo receive self-defense training from the Delhi Police in order to ensure their safety.
This comprehensive training covers various facets of the logistics industry, such as urban two-wheeler driving, essential employability skills, and effective communication techniques.
Once the training is complete, these women are deployed as delivery professionals across diverse e-commerce platforms. Through hands-on experience, they gain a profound understanding of the ecosystem that goes beyond theoretical knowledge.
Even Cargo has achieved notable success in fostering inclusivity within the Indian workforce, thanks in part to the positive response from customers. As a result of the initiatives of this startup, many e-commerce companies are expanding their services by hiring female delivery professionals and promoting diversity and inclusivity in their workforce.
Spearheading The Change
The rise of e-commerce in India has unlocked unparalleled prospects for growth and advancement. Efforts to introduce and empower women in the logistics sector, exemplified by companies like Even Cargo, not only champion gender equality but also harness the untapped potential of talented women to propel the industry forward.
By embracing diversity, these companies are laying the groundwork for a more inclusive and prosperous future where women play a pivotal role in shaping the e-commerce and logistics landscape of India. This innovative shift paves the way for new ideas and transformative approaches, ensuring that India remains at the forefront of the global e-commerce revolution.
The team, led by Yogesh Kumar, founder and CEO of 'Even Cargo,' is focused on increasing women's participation in India's workforce and has explored a variety of innovative ideas to achieve this goal. Yogesh stressed that the name 'Even Cargo' represents their commitment to creating equal opportunities for women and eliminating existing labor market disparities.