Our Story
From the crowded streets of Mumbai to cities around the world,
the journey from NAARI™ to FOWES™ is a testament to the power of
vision, action, and the unwavering belief that
every woman has the potential to rise.
A Vision That Turned Into a Global Movement
In the early 70's, as she was graduating with her master’s degree and before deciding to pursue her Ph.D. in Behavioural Psychology, she traveled the same route home every day through the busy streets of Bombay. Along the way, she saw countless recently migrated (or forced to migrate) rural women living, walking, and surviving in the bustling, high-fashion, expensive colonial city. She didn’t see helplessness or pity; she saw potential: the possibility for these women to live a decent life, to contribute, and to make a real difference.
Driven by this vision, in 1977, this visionary woman, Shirin Hussain founded NAARI - The Rural Women of Urban India™ (NAARI is Hindi for WOMAN). Its mission was revolutionary: to awaken, educate, and elevate the lives of rural women in urban India. At a time when the choices for these women were painfully limited to household help, menial jobs, or, tragically, prostitution. NAARI™ opened doors to dignity and independence. NAARI™ empowered women through education, self-awareness, hygiene, choice education, and vocational training. It prepared them for the workforce and introduced them to the marketplace, enabling them to earn income, gain independence, and reclaim their lives.
NAARI™ created structured pathways for employment, entrepreneurship, and market integration. It was no longer just an initiative; it was a bridge between untapped potential and opportunity, helping women step into the city not just as survivors, but as contributors, innovators, and change-makers.
Building on NAARI’s legacy of empowerment, the Federation of Women Empowerment & Support (FOWES)™ was born in Montreal, Canada. FOWES™ carries forward the same mission on a global scale, connecting, mentoring, and equipping women entrepreneurs and professionals worldwide to thrive in their businesses and communities.
Such is our story -
the story of women awakening, of lives transforming and of empowerment becoming a movement.
Our Journey
A Saga of Five-Decades | A Legacy of Empowerment | A Global Movement
Click on each year to read what was accomplished.
FOWES™ steps into a new era by formally shaping its work into a holistic ecosystem built on five core pillars:
Empowerment, Entrepreneurship, Education, Equality, and Economic Development.
This framework unifies every initiative, partnership, and program under a clear purpose: to enable women not only to grow individually, but to thrive collectively within sustainable systems of opportunity. Through these five pillars, FOWES™ strengthens its vision of creating lasting impact, nurturing confidence and leadership, fostering entrepreneurial pathways, expanding access to knowledge, advocating fairness and inclusion, and advancing financial independence for women across communities and borders.
FOWES™ forms its Board of Founding Members, strengthening governance, vision alignment, and long-term strategic direction.
A Board with it a wealth of multidisciplinary expertise operating towards structured impact-measurement models that enables FOWES™ to scale with clarity and purpose. The Board helps shape a roadmap focused on credibility, inclusivity, and long-term value creation. More than oversight, they contribute vision, networks, and thought leadership, ensuring that step is aligned with FOWES™ core mission of empowering women through opportunity, knowledge, and economic advancement.
FOWES™ steps into holistic empowerment, integrating leadership development with mental, emotional, and physical wellness.
The organization launches its first Leadership & Wellness Retreat, emphasizing balance alongside ambition.
FOWES™ evolves into a vibrant ecosystem of mutual upliftment, setting a significant milestone in its journey. It offers entrepreneurship support, dynamic networking platforms, educational workshops, and knowledge-sharing forums to women across the globe. This growth symbolizes our unwavering commitment to women’s empowerment, bringing together established leaders to mentor, guide, and support aspiring and emerging women in achieving their goals and accelerating their progress.
Join the Empowerment Journey:
Be part of an ever-evolving narrative where every contribution helps script new chapters of confidence, leadership, and opportunity, creating a lasting and meaningful impact on women’s lives worldwide.
FOWES™ begins building a strong network of women entrepreneurs and professionals across Canada, fostering trust, dialogue, and collaboration.
Launches Women of Montreal Entrepreneurial Network (W.O.M.E.N). Today with over 1500 women entrepreneurs and professionals, this community serves to empower, grow, support and scale women globally.
Join the Community on Facebook: Click here -> W.O.M.E.N
The Federation of Women Empowerment & Support (FOWES)™ is established in Montreal, Canada.
Carrying the spirit of NAARI-The Rural Women of Urban India™ forward, FOWES™ begins its journey as a global platform dedicated to connection, mentorship, and opportunity for women worldwide.
Marked as a continuation of the founder's legacy and shaped by her foundational values, SHELFF (Shirin Hussain Education, Learning, and Fulfillment Foundation) emerged, emphasizing the transformative power of education, support, and fulfillment in women's lives.
As a pillar initiative focused on Support, Higher Education, Learning, Financial Freedom, and Empowerment for Women, it becomes a symbolic bridge between legacy and future.
Our founder's sudden demise on 5 April 2021
The visionary woman, lovingly remembered as the Iron Lady, passes on, leaving behind not an ending, but a powerful foundation and an unshakeable philosophy of women’s dignity and independence.
NAARI-The Rural Women of Urban India™ opens programs for women in semi-urban cities and mountainous regions in the Aravali Ranges of Western India.
Education and Empowerment traveled beyond metros, reaching women where opportunity had historically been scarce.
NAARI-The Rural Women of Urban India™ initiates private funding and micro-support for women-led businesses.
Small financial backing combined with mentorship, allowed women not only to work, but to own, build, and lead ventures they never thought they would.
NAARI-The Rural Women of Urban India™ establishes dedicated Women Coaching & Vocational Training Institutes.
Structured programs in life skills, professional etiquette, craft, trade skills, and self-development created stronger pathways into sustainable employment and entrepreneurship.
NAARI-The Rural Women of Urban India™ collaborates with the British Red Cross and women-focused voluntary networks in the United Kingdom, including organizations such as the National Council of Women of Great Britain.
This collaboration expanded exposure, learning, and humanitarian alignment, strengthening NAARI’s social impact framework.
Founded by the visionary Late Shirin Hussain in the vibrant city of Bombay (present-day Mumbai), NAARI-The Rural Women of Urban India™ (Naari is Hindi for Woman), embarked on a passionate journey with an unwavering commitment to women's growth and empowerment.