Dedicated Helpline launched for Women Entrepreneurs of North East Region - 1800 102 1262
Date : May 21, 2020 - Guwahati

In collaboration with Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, Project Her&Now, Dhriiti- The Courage Within has launched “WE Talk!”, a toll-free helpline to provide business related and mental health well-being support to women entrepreneurs from North East Region. This initiative has been supported by Global Alliance for Mass Entrepreneurship (GAME) and Let’s TALK (Mental Health Expert Organisation)

The aim of the helpline is to support the women entrepreneur community in the region to access business resources and provide information regarding schemes, loans and other financial assistance that are available in the market. The helpline- WE Talk! also supports women entrepreneurs to access mental health experts comprising of highly qualified psychologists, psychotherapists and well-trained volunteers behind the line.

The helpline would be operated from Monday to Friday from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. by dedicated resources from each states of North East. The business support would be provided in Assamese, English, Hindi, Kuki, Nagamese, Meitei and Zomi. Women Entrepreneurs can dial in at 1800 102 1262 to receive the support.

Speaking about the initiative, Nidhi Gupta, Executive Director of Dhriiti -The Courage Within, said “We realised the need for business and mental well-being support for women entrepreneurs in the North East Region given the huge impact of COVID 19 outbreak on women led enterprises in the region.

The helpline is an easy access for Women Entrepreneurs to get expert advice on their business as well as mental well being in these difficult times.”

“We know that the COVID-19 impacts on businesses are huge for many women-led entreprises in this region and we hope that through this helpline we can support entrepreneurs to find their way through. We would like to encourage women entrepreneurs of North Eastern Region to call WE Talk!”, says Julia Karst, Project Her&Now, GIZ India.

In partnership with MoSDE and supported by the German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, Project Her&Now aims to improve the overall framework conditions for women-led businesses in India.

Her&Now and Dhriiti looks to provide dedicated incubation and acceleration programmes 180 women entrepreneurs from across Northeast Region by 2021. The project is also being implemented in Rajasthan and Telangana.