A seasoned professional with around 20 years of experience, Ms Hiral has been with Cohesion since 2008. She completed her Bachelor’s in Arts (Psychology) from St. Xavier’s College, Ahmedabad followed by Post Graduation in Management of Non-Government Organisations, Entrepreneurship Development Institute in 2002 which has given her insight of working on entrepreneurship development in women and youth.

At Cohesion she is the Programme Director and provides strategic guidance to the teams for integrating gender, inclusiveness and institution building in the work with women, youth and communities across Cohesion’s geographical coverage. She has worked in different areas of development sector including Women empowerment, Gender, Micro finance, Livelihoods, besides other areas of work. She has explored learning, shaped experience and increased productivity in leadership role in communication, training, networking, monitoring and evaluation. As an EDI alumnus she gives resource lectures to the students in graduate and PG programmes at EDI and is involved in youth activities in Xaviers. She won Second Award in 2014 for “Best Case in Livelihoods” by ACCESS Sitaram Rao Case Study Competition – Livelihood Asia Summit. She has keenly worked on education projects with focus on strengthening of grassroot institutions such as SMC and improving girls’ education through community initiatives. She is a master trainer for women and adolescent girls on life skills and gender aspects. With expertise in women farmers and their identity, her key areas of interest include developing women’s identity as entrepreneurs, as farmers and as decision makers in their own spheres of life.

Membership and role in different forums

• Thematic Group Member of WGWLO
• Chairperson of Cohesion’s Anti-Sexual Harassment Committee
• Advisor to Ekal Nari Shakti Manch, Gujarat