Samina Lal and Zainab Akil
www.maheelapower.com and Biz.maheelapower.com
Chennai
Samina Lal and Zainab Akil, based in Chennai, introduced www.maheelapower.com, an e-commerce platform exclusively for women. Here, handmade and homemade products crafted by women find a marketplace. The primary aim was to assist home-based women entrepreneurs who had been financially affected by the pandemic.
Samina, a seasoned home entrepreneur actively engaged in community service with the Burhani Women’s Association, recognized the vast talent pool within her community. On the other hand, Zainab, formerly a product manager at IIT Madras Research Park, brought her technological expertise to the table. The concept for “Maheela Power” took shape during one of their joint recreational runs.
The overarching mission is to create a technology-driven, community-centric ecosystem for women entrepreneurs and professionals to connect, empower each other, and collectively thrive. Zainab, with a strong background in technology and product development, provides valuable support in realizing this vision.
Maheela Power extends its support through professional training and workshops covering various aspects, such as Financial Management, Product Photography, and Digital Marketing. In addition to these, they organize Meet and Greet sessions and enjoyable Fitness activities. This approach fosters a culture of continuous learning and growth, allowing members to draw from each other’s experiences and build a safe space for discussion and development.
Notably, Maheela Power handles corporate gifting orders and actively participates in exhibitions and various events, increasing brand visibility and developing the capacity to scale up product delivery. Their association with organizations like Burhani Women contributes to providing financial aid to women for medical, educational, and household needs. This is made possible through the proceeds from the sales of items like papads, pickles, and masalas, which are produced by a group of women.
Another organization they support is Nandri Trust, which imparts training in tailoring to underprivileged women. Beyond just promoting the talents and creativity of these women, Maheela Power acts as an inspiration for more women to craft and market unique products, setting the path for their success as independent entrepreneurs. To date, Maheela Power has successfully onboarded 70+ women entrepreneurs, including inspiring senior citizens, boasting a diverse array of over 400 products.
As part of their ongoing efforts to empower women from various walks of life, Maheela Power has introduced a structured online talent directory. This directory, located at biz.maheelapower.com, simplifies consumers’ ability to search, discover, and connect with small-sized businesses and professionals.
In essence, Samina and Zainab have made it possible for women who were initially technologically challenged and had no marketing knowledge to promote their products successfully through Maheela Power.
