Ramadan Food and Shopping Festival in Mira Road to encourage women empowerment

The festive season of Ramadan Eid has already begun and it's time for you to get into shopping mode. So why not start with a noble cause. A group led by social activist and NCP leader Adv. Sana Deshmukh has organized a five-day Ramadan Food and Shopping Festival from 20 April.

The festival which is the first of its kind initiative in the twin-city is being held at Banegar High School located in the Naya Nagar area of Mira Road. The sole aim of the festival is to encourage women empowerment by giving small-time entrepreneurs and artists a platform to come under a single roof to meet, connect, network and grow their business.

Notably, stalls along with the needed infrastructure have been given away free of cost sans any rent. Moreover, religion is not a criteria, women from different caste and creed have set up their stalls at the festival.

“Most of the women who approached me are homemakers whose family earnings were severely hit due to the pandemic. These women started small businesses from their homes to support their family. This festival has given them a platform to showcase their products and directly connect with consumers without any investment,” said Deshmukh.

There are nearly 42 stalls in the festival of homemade delicacies, ready-made garments, cosmetics, artificial ornaments, utensils, perfumes, and calligraphy, etc.

“We are really thankful to get this platform. We are getting a good response which will definitely help our business grow,” said Farah Khan who has set up a calligraphy stall in the festival.

“I used to run our ladies' garments business from a rental shop but due to Covid we closed down and shifted the inventory home and started online marketing. But this exhibition has once again provided us the opportunity to directly interact with existing and establish contact with new ones,” said Sangita Rattan.