AXA Pledges to Empower 10,000 Indian Girls in STEM—A Global Call for Inclusion!
AXA has made a powerful pledge to empower nearly 10,000 girls from underprivileged backgrounds across India by 2030 through their ambitious ‘Dare To Thrive’ initiative, aimed at advancing STEM education — Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. This initiative is not just a corporate social responsibility move but a global call to action for inclusivity and gender equality in fields traditionally underrepresented by women. AXA’s program specifically targets young girls, focusing on providing resources, training, and opportunities that bridge the gap between talent and access to quality STEM education.
Over the past years, AXA has already supported the STEM education of more than 2,500 girls through a variety of efforts such as scholarship grants, establishing computer labs, and distributing desktop computers. With the Dare To Thrive initiative, they plan to scale up these efforts dramatically by collaborating with ecosystem partners and NGOs to reach many more young girls, especially in underserved regions. The program emphasises digital inclusion, technical skill building, and mentorship to ensure these girls can confidently pursue STEM careers and become employable in fast-evolving industries.
AXA’s partnership with Pune-based Friends Union for Energising Lives (FUEL) marks a significant milestone in this journey. Through this collaboration, 40 girls across Bengaluru and Pune have already received focused support in STEM fields, setting the foundation for broader impact. The partnership also highlights the importance of community engagement and local support in making large-scale social initiatives successful. By working closely with NGOs, AXA ensures that aid reaches those who need it most and creates sustainable opportunities rather than one-time interventions.
The leadership at AXA believes that empowering girls in STEM goes beyond education alone; it is about fostering societal transformation and a more inclusive future. Alexander Vollert, Group Chief Operating Officer and CEO of AXA Group Operations, expressed that supporting STEM education for over 10,000 girls in the next five years contributes significantly to promoting girl-child education and enhancing their employability. AXA frames this mission as central to their purpose, which is to “protect what matters,” recognising that empowering girls today means building stronger communities and economies tomorrow.
On the ground, AXA employees actively volunteer their time and expertise to uplift communities, reinforcing the organisation’s commitment to skill-building not only for beneficiaries but also within their team. Michele Rochefort, CEO of AXA Global Business Services, highlighted that this initiative is an extension of AXA’s culture of continuous learning and development, incorporating the upskilling and reskilling ethos into the company’s heart while making a difference outside corporate walls.
The impact of this initiative is far-reaching. By focusing on girls from smaller towns and economically challenged households, AXA hopes to dismantle barriers and create pathways for equal opportunity. This effort brings the skills, training, confidence, and mentorship necessary to help these young women envision and realize careers in STEM, fields that drive innovation and shape the future. As Dr. Ketan Deshpande, CEO of FUEL, noted, this partnership and initiative aim to bring transformational changes in the lives of the girls, empowering them to achieve their professional dreams.
AXA’s ‘Dare To Thrive’ initiative is more than a promise—it is a roadmap for empowerment, inclusion, and societal progress. By committing to support thousands of girls in STEM education, AXA is contributing to an India where every girl, regardless of her background, can confidently step into the world of technology and innovation. This initiative puts AXA at the forefront of a global movement to ensure no child is left behind in the educational revolution that STEM fields represent, forging a path towards a more equitable and prosperous future for all.
