Bengaluru, Aug 24: Steelcase has joined hands with the Aahwahan Foundation to support Project Udaan, an initiative aimed at eliminating transportation barriers for young girls and fostering inclusive education. As part of this collaboration, 100 bicycles were distributed to schoolgirls at Karnataka Public School in Basavanagudi, Bengaluru. For many young students in underserved communities, long commute distances and a lack of safe, reliable transportation pose major hurdles to attending school regularly.
Through this partnership, Steelcase aims to provide practical mobility solutions that enable young girls to stay in school, reduce travel time and costs, and focus on their academic goals with greater independence.
“At Steelcase, we are deeply committed to advancing women’s empowerment and creating equitable opportunities for girls to pursue their education,” said Rohit Sharma, Associate Director – Sales, South Region, Steelcase. “We recognize that travel barriers frequently force girls to drop out or miss classes. Supporting Project Udaan is an essential step for us in addressing these challenges at the grassroots level and helping young girls build confident, self-reliant futures.”
Project Udaan has distributed nearly 6,000 bicycles to date across underserved regions, with plans to further expand its reach to government schools in Karnataka and other parts of India. The initiative is driven by the belief that no girl should have to give up her education simply because her school is located too far from home. By enabling better mobility, Project Udaan aims to help girls attend school more regularly, stay connected to their education, and pursue their academic aspirations with greater confidence.
“Every girl deserves the opportunity to pursue her education without distance standing in her way,” said Braja Kishore Pradhan, CEO & Founder of Aahwahan Foundation. “Through Project Udaan, we want to give girls confidence, independence, and the freedom to dream bigger. We are grateful to Steelcase for supporting this effort and helping us create meaningful opportunities.”
This collaboration reflects Steelcase’s ongoing commitment to responsible corporate citizenship, leveraging impactful community partnerships to drive gender equality, support education, and foster long-term community development. The initiative also seeks to encourage families and communities to recognize the importance of girls’ education. When girls are supported in completing their education, they are better positioned to develop skills, pursue economic opportunities, become self-reliant, and contribute meaningfully to their communities.