Fair & Lovely Foundation starts Project Saraswati

Company press release, May 30, 2003

Mumbai

The Fair & Lovely Foundation is starting Project SARASWATI, an initiative in the area of education for women. Project Saraswati is one of the several projects undertaken by the Foundation for the economic empowerment of women. Under Project Saraswati, the Foundation will offer educational scholarships to young girls who have the aptitude, drive and the ambition to achieve their goals, but are constrained due to the financial resources at their disposal. The Programme Directors for Project Saraswati are Dr. Snehalata Deshmukh, ex-Vice Chancellor, Mumbai University and Padmashri Lila Poonawalla, Founder & Chairperson, Lila Foundation and Chairperson, DeLaval.

In the urban phase of Project Saraswati, scholarships of up to Rs l lakh each will be awarded to 20 young girls from across the country, for any post graduate course within India. The scholarships will be given on the basis of academic performance and a personal interview; and as per terms and conditions laid down by the Fair & Lovely Foundation Charter. Application forms for the Project Saraswati scholarships will be published in all the leading dailies of the country through press advertisements in the first week of June 2003.

Said Sangeeta Pendurkar, Marketing Manager, Skincare - Hindustan Lever Limited, "We believe that Indian women are immensely talented and capable. Sometimes, all they need is a guiding hand to help achieve their goals. Under Project Saraswati, the Foundation will award scholarships to ambitious and talented young women who wish to pursue higher education, but are restricted by their current financial status. Through our various projects in the areas of careers, education and enterprise, the Fair & Lovely Foundation seeks to make a difference to the lives of several women by helping them achieve their potential through guidance and recognition."

Dr Snehalata Deshmukh, ex-vice Chancellor, Mumbai University and one of the Programme Directors, said, "Educating a woman is the best way to empower her, and commitment towards higher education helps empower underprivileged women. This initiative of the Fair & Lovely Foundation will encourage deserving young women gain higher education and thus, will help empower them."

In the rural phase of Project Saraswati, a total of 100 scholarships will be conferred on girl students from select rural areas, who have passed their 10th class and wish to pursue a college degree.

About the Fair & Lovely Foundation

The Fair and Lovely Foundation is a non-profit foundation set up under the aegis of the Hindustan Lever Educational and Welfare Trust. The Foundation seeks to encourage economic empowerment of Indian women through information and resources in the areas of education, career and enterprise. Comprising of an advisory body of leading women and professionals, this foundation has undertaken various projects and initiatives in keeping with its vision of taking women to a brighter future.

For details:

Sunayana Shetty

sunayana@ipan.com