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Hirkani – Women’s Development Training Centre, Pabal Empowering Rural Women and Communities Since 1988

Introduction

Dr. Banoo Coyaji firmly believed that sustainable community development begins with education, health, skills and economic independence, particularly for women and girls.
In 1988, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and KEM Hospital Research Centre (KEMHRC) initiated the Young Women’s Health and Development Project in 128 villages around Pabal in Shirur Taluka, approximately 50 km from Pune. Covering a population of nearly 30,000, the project provided health, nutrition and family-life education to girls aged 7–19 years.
The initiative soon demonstrated the need for a permanent centre dedicated to the development of rural women and girls. In 1989, KEM Hospital acquired one hectare of land at Pabal, with support from ICMR, to establish the Women’s Health and Development Centre.
Three distinctive geodesic domes, locally known as the Paal Domes, were constructed using local expertise and became the nucleus of the campus. The Centre was inaugurated by Dr. Banoo Coyaji on 9 January 1993.
Over the years, the Centre evolved from a health and development initiative into a comprehensive platform for women’s empowerment, vocational training, livelihood generation, health promotion and community development.
Building Skills, Livelihoods and Self-Reliance
The early programmes focused on enabling women to become active participants in their own social and economic development. Initiatives included the formation of Self-Help Groups (SHGs), vocational and livelihood training, financial linkages and community leadership programmes.

Building Skills, Livelihoods and Self-Reliance

The early programmes focused on enabling women to become active participants in their own social and economic development. Initiatives included the formation of Self-Help Groups (SHGs), vocational and livelihood training, financial linkages and community leadership programmes.
Activities over the years included:

YEAR ACTIVITY
1995 Kisan Nursery by Department of Forestry, Government of Maharashtra
1995 to 2000 Vermicomposting
1998 Panchayat Raj training by Indian Institute of Education, Pune
1998 to 2000 Goat-rearing training by Rural Agriculture Institute, Narayangaon (RAIN)
1993 to 2004 Formation and support of approximately 200 Self-Help Groups
1995 to 2004 Loans to SHGs through nationalised banks, including Canara Bank and Syndicate Bank, for goat rearing, cow rearing and participation in weekly bazaars
1999 Convergent Community Action (CCA) supported by UNICEF; training programmes for Pune Swayam Sahayya Samitee, Pune Zilla Parishad and Latur Zilla Parishad
2000 BLOOM (Better Life Opportunities Model), a nine-month programme for school-going boys of Bhairavnath Vidya Mandir, Pabal, supported by CEDPA, New Delhi
2002 to 2003 Legal literacy programme for SHG women conducted by ILS Law College, Pune

These initiatives helped women acquire practical skills, access credit, establish small enterprises and contribute to household income, while strengthening their confidence and participation in community life.

The Winds of Change – UDDAYAM

As Pabal and the surrounding region developed, community needs and aspirations also changed. Responding to a growing demand for employment-oriented skills, KEMHRC established a Vocational Training Centre at Pabal in June 2009, with financial support from the Larsen & Toubro Public Charitable Trust.

Dr. Usha Krishnan and Dr. Kurus Coyaji played an important role in supporting the initiative and carrying forward Dr. Banoo Coyaji’s vision of empowering rural women through practical, employment-linked skills.

Expert-designed vocational courses were introduced, including:

  • Home Nursing – curriculum developed with inputs from the Nursing Unit, KEM Hospital, and the Directors of Community Medicine and Research
  • Food Processing – curriculum developed by Mrs. Shradha Deshpande
  • Garment Construction/Tailoring – curriculum developed by the Indian Fashion Academy
  • Electrical Wireman Training – curriculum developed by Mr. Bhuvan Damahe, Principal, and Mr. Ram Deshpande, Secretary, L&T Institute of Technology

Pabal Centre Trainee Summary from June 2009 to March 2024

Course Target Number of trainees passed out Number of trainees followed upService Business Average income PM (Rs) Percentage %
Bedside Assistant 1,230 1,226 1,223 839 16 5,864 70%
Food Processing 1,830 2,003 2,003 158579 3,921 37%
Advance Tailoring 2,018 2,2942,294 60 1,629 2,172 74%
Electrician Trade410 419 419143 2229,70087%
Beautician 80 49 49 3 31 2426 69%
Aari Work353535 1 29 4960 81%
Total 5,603 6,026 6,026 1,2042,506 4,840.00 70%

Benefactors and Supporters

The growth and sustainability of the Pabal Centre have been made possible by individuals and organisations who shared its commitment to education, health and economic empowerment.

Prof. Baba Apte

Trustee Prof. Baba Apte, through the Prof. Yamato Kawakami Foundation, supported girls’ education through scholarships, bicycles, hostel facilities and coaching classes. He also facilitated interest-free loans to enable women to establish small businesses and move towards financial independence.

The Late Dr. V. N. Rao Fund

Established in 2012, the Fund has supported a wide range of activities, including Rubella vaccination, sewing machine donations, scholarships, computer education, spoken English classes and vocational training in ready-made garment production.

Late Dr. Sarah Rao Educational Fund

Established in 2005, the Fund supports girls pursuing science education through scholarships and skill-development opportunities. It also supported the establishment of a multipurpose hall for educational and community activities.

Expanding into Community Health

Micro Health Centre

The Micro Health Centre (MHC) was established in 2015 with support from the Hewlett Packard Foundation and the Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (IGIB) and was inaugurated by Dr. Anurag Agrawal.

Using advanced cloud-enabled technology and healthcare data systems, the Centre was established to improve access to healthcare in the rural community, with a particular focus on respiratory health research and the generation of high-quality data on healthcare delivery.

Key Projects

Happy Mensis | 2016–2018

Menstruation, although a natural biological process, continues to be surrounded by stigma, restrictions and misconceptions in many communities.

The Happy Mensis Project, initiated in 2016 with support from the family of Dr. V. N. Rao, aimed to improve scientific knowledge and awareness of menstruation and menstrual hygiene among rural girls and women.

The programme reached 1,800 adolescent girls and 2,300 women through awareness sessions. In addition, 18 peer educators were trained, who subsequently reached another 600 women and girls. The project also explored sustainable approaches to providing affordable sanitary napkins.

Sustainable Livelihoods for Tribal Youth in Pune Rural District | 2017–2019

With support from HSBC Skills for Life, KEMHRC initiated this programme in 2017 to improve livelihood opportunities for tribal youth through need- and skill-based vocational training.

A six-month Home Nursing/Bedside Assistant Course, comprising four months of theoretical training and two months of practical hospital experience, trained 173 tribal girls, women and boys, achieving an employability rate of over 70%.

Jagruti – Pregnancy Care, Child Development & Skill Development | 2019–2022

Recognising the importance of quality antenatal, intrapartum and postnatal care in improving maternal and newborn outcomes, KEMHRC initiated the Jagruti Programme in April 2019 with support from Dr. Usha Krishnan.

The programme combined care for high-risk pregnancies with vocational training and women’s empowerment. During the programme, 182 pregnant women were screened, while 180 women and girls received vocational training.

Sustainable Livelihoods and Economic Opportunities for Women and Youth | 2021–2023

In May 2021, with CSR support from Chemital Industries through the Rotary Club of Poona Downtown, KEMHRC initiated a programme to create sustainable livelihood opportunities for economically disadvantaged women and youth from rural communities and Pune’s urban settlements.

The programme focused particularly on Home Nursing/Bedside Assistant training, enabling participants to acquire employment-oriented skills and achieve greater financial independence.

With continued support from the Rotary Club, more than 500 students have been trained to date, with an employability rate of approximately 80–85%.

From Pabal to Hirkani

In February 2024, the Women’s Development Training Centre at Pabal was renamed Hirkani – Women’s Development Training Centre, recognising its longstanding contribution to women’s empowerment, livelihoods and community development.

The name reflects the Centre’s continuing commitment to the strength, determination and resilience of women.

The Way Forward

What began in a drought-prone rural region as a programme for adolescent girls has evolved into a vibrant centre for skills, livelihoods, health and community development.

Today, Hirkani’s activities extend across 18 villages, and over the years more than 55,000 girls and women have received training in areas such as tailoring, embroidery, bag-making, knitting, bakery, home nursing, garment construction, food processing and electrical trades.

The Centre has also established a vocational training-cum-production unit, enabling trainees to apply their newly acquired skills to produce marketable products and strengthen pathways towards income generation.

While the Centre’s initial focus was on women and girls, livelihood training has progressively expanded to include young men, and new courses continue to be explored based on changing community needs and employment opportunities.

A Legacy That Continues

The strength of the Pabal model lies in its ability to evolve with the community while remaining rooted in Dr. Banoo Coyaji’s vision of empowerment through opportunity.

Its journey has been shaped by the commitment of the community, teachers, trainees, families, donors and numerous supporters, including Dr. Kurus Coyaji, Dr. Farokh Wadia, Commander Rao, Dr. N. H. Kulkarni and Mr. A. D. Gadkari, among many others.

From health education and Self-Help Groups to vocational training, healthcare initiatives and employment-linked skills, Hirkani continues to empower rural communities and improve the quality of life of thousands of individuals and families.

55,000+ Women & Girls Trained | 18 Villages Reached | 35+ Years of Community Engagement

Hirkani – Skills. Opportunity. Empowerment.

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