When Ramboll, an environmental corporation in California, hired SYL to coach one of their up-and-coming executives, little did they know they’d help sustain the world’s largest women’s empowerment group in India.

Since 1972, the Self-Employed Women’s Association in India (SEWA) has annually helped about 2 million impoverished, unemployed or marginally employed women throughout India who are seeking financial independence and to be seen and valued for the important workforce contributions they bring. A unique, national movement, SEWA’s family of organizations includes banks, micro-finance cooperatives, coop, trade organization, counseling and health services, and job skills training centers.

Several months ago, SEWA was collapsing under its own weight, its leaders almost completely burnt out. Using funds from Ramboll’s executive coaching, SYL offered strategy and management coaching to the SEWA national leadership and SEWA leaders from across India to develop clear, doable priorities, improve their infrastructure and operations, and perhaps most importantly, to feel refreshed and excited about their work again.

We feel honored to help SEWA with their important mission of enabling millions of impoverished women throughout India to have access to the funding, job skills, and life skills they need to become empowered, independent, proud members of society.