Ujaas, founded by Advaitesha Birla under the Aditya Birla Education Trust, announced the launch of a new Ujaas Green Manufacturing Unit in Wardha.
The expansion, undertaken in collaboration with the Maharashtra State Rural Livelihoods Mission, strengthens the initiative’s commitment to advancing women-led manufacturing and promoting women’s economic independence through scalable grassroots enterprise models.
Timed with the approach of Women’s Day, the move reinforces Ujaas’ focus on structured livelihood ownership for women.
With the addition of the Wardha unit, women-led manufacturing under Ujaas now operates through two Ujaas Green Manufacturing Units in Maharashtra.
Together, these units employ 45 Self-Help Group (SHG) women and generate livelihood opportunities for nearly 1,500 additional women across the Vidarbha and Marathwada regions.
The earlier unit in Jalna has demonstrated measurable outcomes, producing 111,125 reusable cloth pads over two years and showcasing how women-led manufacturing can serve as a sustainable driver of local economic participation.
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The Jalna-based women-led manufacturing unit has distributed cloth pads locally and across neighbouring districts, including Sambhajinagar, Nanded, Parbhani, Beed, and Buldhana. It has also expanded its footprint across Maharashtra and pan-India through the Ujaas Menstrual Health Express Campaign.
The campaign facilitated free pad distribution across 25 states and 121 cities, significantly enhancing awareness, accessibility, and outreach while reinforcing the impact of women-led manufacturing models in community health initiatives.
Women-Led Manufacturing: Active SHG Ecosystems Build Locally Managed Enterprises
Poonam Patkar, Head – Ujaas, said, “The Ujaas Green Manufacturing Unit is designed as a fully women-managed production ecosystem – from cutting and stitching to quality control, packaging, marketing, and sales coordination.
Based on the performance of our Jalna unit, each participating woman can earn a stable annual income of around ₹75,000 depending on skill and product demand, ensuring predictable financial support for her family while each SHG collectively benefits from sustained enterprise income.
Beyond production, women are trained in financial literacy, hygiene standards, and business processes so they can independently manage and grow the unit. This is not just employment – it is structured livelihood ownership that builds confidence, skills, and long-term economic security.”
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The newly launched Wardha facility is projected to manufacture more than 55,000 reusable cloth pads annually, further strengthening Ujaas’ growing network of women-led manufacturing hubs.
The initiative demonstrates how regions with active SHG ecosystems can build locally managed enterprises that generate income while simultaneously addressing essential health needs through community-driven production.
Beyond enterprise creation, women engaged in women-led manufacturing also conduct awareness sessions in their communities to promote informed menstrual health practices and reduce stigma.
Ujaas Green Cloth Pads are reusable and chemical-free, offering an affordable alternative to disposable products while reducing menstrual waste and encouraging environmentally responsible consumption.
This expansion marks another milestone in Ujaas’ mission to scale women-led manufacturing and women-driven grassroots enterprises across Maharashtra.
By combining livelihood generation, entrepreneurship, and community-led development, the initiative underscores the potential of women-led manufacturing as a sustainable and inclusive growth model.
