The Viswamrit Project: Empowering Women through Skill Development and Community Engagement

The Viswamrit Project is a transformative initiative launched to empower women from the Vishwakarma community through a structured skill development program in Kannur and Kollam districts of Kerala. Spearheaded by the Center for Women’s Empowerment and Gender Equality (CWEGE), Amritapuri, in collaboration with the Vishwakarma Navothan Foundation, the project is grounded in Amma’s vision of upliftment through education, dignity, and collective empowerment.

Inauguration and Core Objective

Formally inaugurated by Swami Amritakripananda Puri in Kannur, the project offers tailoring classes to women as a pathway to economic self-reliance. However, its goals extend far beyond vocational training—it aims to cultivate leadership, teamwork, communication skills, civic engagement, and a spirit of community service through a holistic Life Skills Education (LEE) framework.

Key Activities and Life Skills Modules

1. Leadership Training for SHG Empowerment
   Women explored leadership through reflective exercises like the “Leaders You Admire” activity, promoting deeper understanding of effective governance and decision-making within Self-Help Groups (SHGs).
2. Non-Verbal Communication & Listening Skills
   Sessions addressed the power of body language and active listening, using interactive games like the “Memory Test” to highlight distracted communication’s pitfalls and foster better interpersonal relationships.
3. Teamwork and Collaboration
   Through videos and discussions, participants learned the value of trust, shared responsibility, and mutual support—skills vital for cooperative functioning in both SHGs and broader community contexts.
4. Community Literacy Drive
   In a standout civic engagement activity, participants collected and donated books to a local library in Punalur, emphasizing the importance of accessible education and resource-sharing.
5. Ideal Village Visioning
   Women collaboratively visualized their dream villages, identifying local challenges and imagining sustainable solutions, despite initial hesitancies about feasibility—an exercise that seeded long-term thinking and critical problem-solving.
6. Personal Hygiene for School Students
   Extending their outreach, the project team also delivered hygiene awareness sessions at VKR Public School, empowering 40 children with practical health knowledge while nurturing their communication and leadership potential.

Outcomes and Impact

The Viswamrit Project has so far impacted dozens of women and students, equipping them with tangible skills and intangible confidence. Participants have reported growth in self-awareness, expression, teamwork, and an enhanced sense of civic responsibility. Each session contributes to building a foundation for community-driven change, grounded in values of empathy, agency, and cooperation.