May 2017: A year and a half has passed since the 2015 floods
which left thousands of farmers in distress. Many ended up bankrupt after the floods,
which were then followed with water scarcity in many areas of Tamil Nadu. There
have been unpleasant moments where in farmers have lost hopes of bringing back stability,
especially due to high interest rates for loans. The women have always wanted
to help their men, but were at a loss for opportunities themselves. That's when
PepsiCo along with Smile Foundation decided to take up an initiative that would
support the community.
With an aim to ensure upliftment of the affected class of
farmers, Smile Foundation along with PepsiCo decided to join hands to bring
back a smile on their faces by starting a project titled "Project Tharamai".
Under this project, women were given training on sewing techniques which would help
them in sustaining themselves while bringing home a decent income. Some 235
women were a part of this first phase which lasted for a few months where they
excelled in the art of stitching.
The success of this event was well accepted when, smile foundation along with Pepsi co decided to felicitate these ladies for their achievement. The major event was held on 10th May 2017 Chengalpat Thaluk, Kancheepuram district. Dignitaries included state ministers Mr M C Sampath (Minsiter of Industries, Govt of Tamil Nadu), Mr P Thangamani (Minister of electricity, excise and prohibition, govt of Tamil Nadu) along with COO of Smile foundation and Vice president of Pepsico, Corporate social responsibility (Ms Poonam Kaul).
The success of this event was well accepted when, Smile
Foundation along with Pepsi Co decided to felicitate these ladies for their
achievement. The major event was held on 10th May 2017 Chengalpattu Thaluk,
Kancheepuram district. Dignitaries included state ministers Mr. M. C. Sampath
(Minister of Industries, Govt. of Tamil Nadu), Mr. P. Thangamani (Minister of Electricity,
Excise and Prohibition, Govt. of Tamil Nadu) along with the COO of Smile
foundation and Vice president- CSR of PepsiCo.
The event began with the spokesperson from PepsiCo, who
highlighted how they have been associated with the people of Tamil Nadu since
1989 and mentioned the aid offered by PepsiCo during the 2015 floods, where
their teams were involved in rescue operations and provided aid in terms of
drinking water and oat meals.
