In June 2026, ICRIER's EPWD team travelled to villages in Haryana to witness firsthand what it takes to bring rural women into the economic mainstream. Partnering with the ETASHA Society, the team sat in on baseline training sessions for women newly enrolled in the Livelihood Generation Programme. This initiative pairs business training with seed capital and mentorship to help women move from unpaid, own-account work toward genuine entrepreneurship. This first instalment of a two-part series captures those early conversations: the aspirations women carry despite deep constraints on mobility, financial access, and time; the quiet resilience they bring to difficult circumstances; and the structural barriers, from limited literacy to entrenched household norms, that any intervention must contend with. Part II will follow up with women who have since launched or grown their own businesses.
