Amazon India’s community programmes are creating opportunities for women across 10 cities—from manufacturing biodegradable sanitary pads to repairing delivery bags. Over 20,000 women are engaged through various initiatives, turning traditional skills into structured income opportunities. Here are three ways Amazon India is supporting women entrepreneurs.

1. Menstrual hygiene programme creates manufacturing jobs, income streams, and community impact

Amazon India’s menstrual hygiene programme is driven by NGO partners, women change champions and community ambassadors with the Vedanshi Women Federation (a women-led NGO) leading the manufacturing and sale of sanitary napkins.

The federation has four manufacturing units in Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, and Kolkata. The units produce 100% biodegradable sanitary napkins made from wood pulp, paper, non-woven sheets, release paper, and biodegradable gum. Each unit produces 1,200 biodegradable pads per hour, with annual production reaching 1.5 million pads. Amazon warehouse procurement provides predictable, recurring income.

“I always had the desire to do something in life. As just a housewife, I yearned to be independent and support my family. My work in the sanitary pad manufacturing unit gave me an outlet to realise this wish,” says Mamatha from Shamshabad Mandal, Hyderabad.

The Women Champions model trains women to both sell menstrual hygiene products and conduct community education. The programme has trained 500 champions across 130 villages and 14 cities. Change Champions conduct monthly awareness sessions in collaboration with ASHA and Anganwadi workers, targeting adolescent girls, SHG (self-help group) women, and women at Anganwadi centers. Topics include normalizing menstruation, healthy practices, personal hygiene, diet and nutrition, and connecting women with health workers.

“When I took up Amazon’s Entrepreneurship Development Training Program, I did not know that it would not only give me a steady income, which was so important for my family and me, but would also make me a confident, community-changemaker, as I promote Prayatna sanitary napkins and promote menstrual health and hygiene,” says Nandaben Makwana from Bavla Village, Gujarat.

Amazon’s menstrual hygiene programme reached out to 270,000 women and girls in 2025 in creating awareness on menstrual health. The programme has equipped 50+ schools with sanitary napkin vending machines and incinerators, reducing school absenteeism among adolescent girls. Amazon is piloting menstrual waste management at four locations in Bangalore through partnership with PadCare’s patented technology.

2. Women entrepreneurship programmes create market connections

More than 6,800 women have participated in Amazon’s women entrepreneurship programmes, building and expanding income opportunities through different channels. Through partnerships with retailers, e-commerce platforms—including Amazon Saheli and Karigar initiatives—and industry buyers, these programmes have helped create sustainable market connections.

Amazon works with NGO partners including ACCESS Development Services, She and WE Foundation, Buzz India Trust, Junior Achievement India Services (GAME), Pinkishe Foundation, Way for Life, SAAD Foundation, and READ India to deliver these programmes across multiple states and sectors, covering diverse trades including food enterprises, stitching, handicrafts, beauty services, toy-making, bag repair, and pottery.

“I love cooking and my family always praised my food. But I never thought my passion could become a source of income for me. With Amazon’s entrepreneurship training, I have been able to set up Gavdenchi Misal, which today, is my dream and my identity,” says Dipika Gavde, a food entrepreneur from Worli, Mumbai.

3. Handcraft initiatives support livelihoods through bag repair and seasonal diya production

Amazon India supports women-led tailoring enterprises by integrating women-led SHG enterprises into the supply chain. Over the past year, 26,000 bags were repaired. The programme is expanding to 10+ tailoring entrepreneurs across Mumbai, Bhiwandi, Lucknow, Pune, and Ahmedabad, with a projected monthly volume of 10,000+ bags.

Jyoti Devi from Bhora Kalan, Pataudi, Haryana, says: “Before joining the bag-stitching unit, I never stepped outside for work. Now I earn on my own, take care of my children, and feel confident and independent.”

Amazon supports women artisans from SHGs through an annual Diwali initiative. In 2025, 385 women across 214 sites led by enterprises supported through Amazon’s CSR initiatives produced over 131,000 handcrafted diyas, earning seasonal income through this effort.

Scaling community impact across India

Amazon India is continuing to scale its community engagement programmes, with a focus on expanding its reach across communities in the coming years. The programmes aim to support first-generation entrepreneurs through sustainable business models, while also enabling entrepreneurs to grow and strengthen their incomes over time.