Laurels students’ eye-opening visit to the Mission Shakti Mahila Prerna Sankul.
👉 Click here for the Hindi version – “मिशन शक्ति: मुस्कान के पीछे की असली ताकत”
Aditya Shukla, Head Boy, Laurels International School
Our visit to the Nari Shakti Mahila Prerna Sankul Stariya Samiti at Bhita, Jasra Block, on Wednesday, 15th October, which coincided with the school’s No Bag Day, was truly a life-changing experience. Seventy students from Classes VI to XII, carefully selected under our school’s Social Impact and Community Development Mission, had the unique opportunity to interact with some of the most inspiring women we have ever met.
These women are part of Mission Shakti, a flagship initiative of the Uttar Pradesh Government aimed at empowering women through self-reliance, entrepreneurship, and leadership. Under this mission, thousands of women from villages and small towns have come together to form self-help groups, registered cooperatives, and societies, working in harmony to build sustainable livelihoods.
We were amazed to learn that more than ₹20 crore has been added to the local economy of Jasra Block alone, through the efforts of nearly 3,000 women who are part of 36 Mahila Samitis under the Jasra Sankul. Each member contributes a small amount, which is then matched and supported by the government through collateral-free loans, training programmes, and expert guidance. These women are not only earning but also learning — turning their skills into enterprises and their dreams into reality.
One of the highlights of the visit was our tour of the Bakery Unit at Bhita. The women proudly showed us their work — from making pizza bases, biscuits, and breads to tasty namkeens and snacks — all produced in clean and modern conditions using advanced machines. Experts from Lucknow and other cities visit regularly to train them in the latest techniques. The women spoke with great confidence about hygiene, marketing, and even profit reinvestment — things we had only read about in economics textbooks!
We were thrilled to know that their societies are run just like professional corporates. They even allocate 2% of their profits to CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) activities, supporting local schools, cleanliness drives, and women’s welfare programmes. It was unbelievable to see how rural India is not waiting for opportunities — it is creating them!
This entire movement in the region is guided by Mrs. Namita Singh, the Block Representative of Mission Shakti for Jasra Block, a dynamic leader whose background in social sciences has helped her transform into a true mentor and motivator. She has encouraged thousands of women to believe in themselves and work collectively for progress. The success of the initiative also owes much to the continuous support of Smt. Harshika Singh, IAS (Chief Development Officer, Prayagraj) and Mr. Sunil Kumar Singh (Block Development Officer, Jasra), whose vision and encouragement have helped the women’s groups grow with confidence and dignity.
As we interacted with these women, we felt immense pride. We realised how India is slowly but surely transforming from a service-driven economy to a producer-based economy, fulfilling the vision of our Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji’s “Atmanirbhar Bharat” and “Make in India” campaigns.
To share this learning with our peers, the Students’ Council, led by the Head Boy and Head Girl, presented a detailed report of the visit during the morning assembly. We shared our experiences, learnings, and ideas with fellow students and teachers. Inspired by what we saw, we also proposed that the school should procure snacks and bakery items from the Bhita Samiti, use their handmade products like bags and handicrafts, and organise exhibition-cum-sale stalls during school functions and PTMs. This will not only promote Mission Shakti but also encourage our families to use healthy, affordable, and locally made products such as dresses, soaps, cleaning agents, incense sticks, and many more items — most of which are organically produced and environmentally friendly. It is truly an example of India changing from within, one thoughtful step at a time.
For us, this visit was not just a trip — it was an eye-opener. We understood how education and empowerment together can reshape entire communities. We saw how small local efforts, when supported with the right training and trust, can become a movement that changes lives.
Many of us came back saying that now we truly understand our school’s vision — “Every Laurels Student will be an Entrepreneur, a Job Creator, not a Job Seeker.”
We are deeply thankful to our respected Principal, Mrs. Mridula Prakash Ma’am, for providing us with this golden opportunity to witness real change in action. We also express our gratitude to the entire Mahila Samiti of Bhita for welcoming us with warmth, and to the Jasra Block authorities for their continuous guidance to the women of the region.
We returned inspired, motivated, and proud — proud of our women, our government, and our nation that is rising through the power of its people.Long live Mission Shakti — the true spirit of empowered India!