{"id":64978,"date":"2026-05-21T20:27:56","date_gmt":"2026-05-21T14:57:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/aakashvaani.in\/?p=64978"},"modified":"2026-05-21T20:27:56","modified_gmt":"2026-05-21T14:57:56","slug":"balco-inaugurates-black-maize-a-fine-dining-experience-powered-by-women-of-project-unnatti","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/aakashvaani.in\/?p=64978","title":{"rendered":"BALCO Inaugurates Black Maize: A Fine Dining Experience Powered by Women of Project Unnatti"},"content":{"rendered":"

AAKASHVANI.IN<\/strong><\/span><\/h1>\n

`From homemakers to entrepreneurs, 6,000 women are redefining livelihoods through financial independence and sustainable opportunities`<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n

The aroma of freshly prepared delicacies, the warmth of thoughtfully curated interiors, and the quiet confidence of women welcoming guests at Black Maize tell a story far beyond food. Inaugurated by Rajesh Kumar Singh, CEO, BALCO, on May 20 at Balconagar, Black Maize is a powerful symbol of women-led transformation, entrepreneurship, and community empowerment.<\/h3>\n

Black Maize is powered by the women of Project Unnatti, BALCO\u2019s flagship women empowerment initiative. It marks the evolution of what began as Unnatti Chaupal, a modest local fast-food centre serving chaat, pakodi, and regional favourites. Today, it has transformed into a fine dining caf\u00e9 with a seating capacity of over 50 guests, along with a private dining space designed for celebrations, gatherings, and special occasions.<\/h3>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Speaking during the inauguration, Rajesh Kumar Singh, CEO, BALCO, said, \u201cBALCO aspires to create opportunities for the community, especially women, that enhance livelihood potential and dignity. It is a matter of pride for us that over 6,000 women from our periphery are taking sure-footed steps towards ensuring long-term growth for themselves and their families. I am certain that the Black Maize initiative will inspire many more women to come forward and chart their own growth stories.\u201d<\/h3>\n

Yet, what truly distinguishes Black Maize is the purpose behind every meal served. At the heart of the initiative are women from Self-Help Groups (SHGs), who once identified themselves primarily as homemakers. Through Project Unnatti, they underwent structured capacity-building programmes in culinary arts, hospitality, customer service, entrepreneurship, and food quality management, equipping them with the skills essential to run a customer-facing enterprise.<\/h3>\n

For women like Nirmala Deshmukh, a Self-Help Group member under Project Unnatti, Black Maize represents personal transformation. \u201cI have come a long way, yet I feel there is still a lot I can achieve,\u201d she says. \u201cMy journey with Unnatti began in 2022. Over the years, I have witnessed a visible transformation in myself and my fellow sisters of Unnatti. We had the skills, but the scale of opportunities and confidence we gained through BALCO\u2019s support is something I am deeply grateful for.\u201d<\/h3>\n

Bharti, another SHG member, shares a similar heartfelt reflection, recalling a conversation with her daughter that reinforced her sense of achievement. \u201cMy daughter asked me whether I would cook delicacies for her at home or if she would now have to visit Black Maize,\u201d she says with a smile. \u201cI am grateful to Project Unnatti. The platform I have received here to hone and utilise my skills is beyond imagination. I have found an identity here.<\/h3>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

The dining space offers a thoughtfully curated culinary experience, bringing together authentic Chhattisgarhi delicacies, North Indian flavours, Chinese cuisine, and local fast-food favourites under one roof, resonating strongly with the community.<\/h3>\n

A visitor from Korba describes the experience as a refreshing tribute to local culture. \u201cI loved the ambience that Black Maize has created. It beautifully showcases Chhattisgarh\u2019s rich cultural heritage through both food and art,\u201d the customer shared.<\/h3>\n

Over the years, Project Unnatti has strengthened over 560 Self-Help Groups (SHGs), creating pathways for financial independence and sustainable livelihoods. Today, more than 6,000 women across these SHGs are engaged in multiple micro and nano-enterprises driven by Unnati MahaSangha (UMS), the apex body of women-led businesses under Unnatti.<\/h3>\n

More than a caf\u00e9, Black Maize stands as a model for sustainable, women-led entrepreneurship, one that blends livelihood creation with confidence-building and cultural pride. As BALCO continues to empower women through Project Unnatti, Black Maize signals a future where empowered women are not just participants in growth, but leaders shaping it.<\/h3>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

AAKASHVANI.IN `From homemakers to entrepreneurs, 6,000 women are redefining livelihoods through financial independence and sustainable opportunities` The aroma of freshly prepared delicacies, the warmth of thoughtfully curated interiors, and the quiet confidence of women welcoming guests at Black Maize tell a story far beyond food. Inaugurated by Rajesh Kumar Singh, CEO, BALCO, on May 20 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":64975,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[123,85],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-64978","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-chhattisgarh","category-85"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/aakashvaani.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/64978","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/aakashvaani.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/aakashvaani.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aakashvaani.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aakashvaani.in\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=64978"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/aakashvaani.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/64978\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":64979,"href":"https:\/\/aakashvaani.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/64978\/revisions\/64979"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aakashvaani.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/64975"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/aakashvaani.in\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=64978"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aakashvaani.in\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=64978"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aakashvaani.in\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=64978"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}