Indus Valley Times

Bhubaneswar,March  25: To help young women become self-reliant and fulfil their aspirations, Reliance Jio has initiated an aspirational programme Jio Customer Associate (JCA) programme. The programme that is running across the country and is also a step towards women’s empowerment, is being embraced with gusto in Odisha as well. This programme engages women on a freelancing basis, gives them opportunities to earn while working as per their convenience from the comfort of their homes.

As of now, there are over 2500 happy women JCAs across Odisha from various walks of life and backgrounds such as students, self-employed, homemakers, people running small businesses, among others who are supporting Jio customers.

With continuous training, skill development and digital tools, JCAs are equipped to assist customers in all possible ways. The key role of JCAs includes assisting customers in doing recharges, helping them get acquainted with online payment options and aiding prospective customers in making a purchase decision among others. Operating in a digital way while learning customer handling etiquettes, service and productivity skills has equipped JCAs to not only grow in life but also help in the mission of Jio Digital Life for all Indians.

Also, for scores of Jio users, especially in the hinterlands, Jio Customer Associate programme has been a great help as they are now able to converse in their local language and dialects transcending the barrier of language, helping them understand various products and services better while making a choice.

 Tarangini Routray, a homemaker from Junagarh in Kalahandi district of Odisha says that the JCA programme has given her confidence and financial independence as she is now able to earn while working from home and support her family and spend on better education her seven-year-old son. She is happy that she could work from the safety and comfort of her home in her convenient time, perfectly balancing household responsibilities and work as JCA.

Bandana Maharana, a housewife from Rayagada says initially when she came to know about JCA programme she couldn’t believe that it would be possible to earn by working from home at her own convenient time. While she always wanted to work to be financially independent, after her marriage she had to leave her job as an accountant at a small private firm, to shoulder family responsibilities. However, she is now super happy working from her home after finishing daily household work and earning more than what she used to work at her previous full-time job. She proudly says that while working as a JCA, she has now been able to fulfil her long cherished dream of buying a two-wheeler for herself.

Kumudini and Rukmini, from Golamunda in Kalahandi, both of whom completed their graduation studies last year, have been working as JCAs for nearly a year. Speaking about her experience as a JCA, Kumudini says she has learnt so many things from the training sessions over video conference which helped in increasing her self-confidence and communication skills. Rukmini says she enjoys interacting as well as explaining details to the customers in her own language and is also happy that she is now able to take care of education expenses of her younger sister with the earnings as a JCA.