Women's empowerment is the key to ensure the overall development of not just families but also communities. Under Sakhi initiative, HZL are working with the goal of promoting sustainable women-run grassroots institutions like Self Help Groups (SHGs) and their Federations. The program aims to set up 2,000 SHGs over the next 5 years, across 174 villages. This year, 505 SHGs have been formed with the association of more than 6,600 women. A few production centers have also been set up to manufacture garments, papads, spices, etc. The high point of the program was the International Women's Day celebration, in which over 7,000 village women participated. The day became a platform which brought together not just these village women, but also women employees of Hindustan Zinc, the spouses of employees, senior women officials and elected women representatives.