In 2006, Dutch businesswomen Ellen Tacoma and Maria van der Heijden were in rural India for a SharePeople management development program. They observed that while social enterprises were creating jobs for women in areas like garment production, these businesses often lacked a strategic focus on market access and business development. Recognizing this gap, Ellen and Maria saw an opportunity to leverage their business expertise to unleash the potential of these women by enhancing the effectiveness of these enterprises.

This insight led to the establishment of Women on Wings in 2007, with a clear mission: to co-create one million jobs for women in rural India. Their strategy centered on partnering with Indian social enterprises, providing them with the business acumen needed to scale operations, access markets, and optimize value chains. By focusing on rural areas, they aimed to integrate work opportunities into existing community structures, allowing women to earn an income while continuing to fulfill their domestic responsibilities.

The success of their approach was evident in their first partnership with Sadhna, a women cooperative in Udaipur. Within a year, Sadhna expanded its workforce from 400 to 500 women artisans, showcasing how strategic business support can unlock and unleash the potential of rural women. Since then, Women on Wings has built a network of business experts who collaborate with social enterprises in sectors such as textiles, handicrafts, food, agriculture, and non-timber forest products, driving sustainable job creation and economic growth across rural India.