On March 3, Chennai will witness the sight of 35 women entrepreneurs from the Sisterhood Group UK climbing into 14 bright yellow autorickshaws and setting off on a 1,000-km journey to Goa.
The ride titled the ‘Let’s Goa 2026 Rickshaw Rally’ is as demanding as it is purposeful. Over several days, they will navigate highways and small towns to raise funds for initiatives that support women and children across Tamil Nadu.
The group returns following a strong collaboration last year with Madras Midtown Round Table 42 (MMRT42) and Madras Midtown Ladies Circle 7 (MMLC7), who will once again flag off the rally from The Lady Andal School. For the entrepreneurs, the rally is not a curated tour of India, but an immersive, on-the-ground experience that combines adventure with grassroots impact.
“This 1,000-kilometre journey from Chennai to Goa is a fundraising mission aimed at raising between Rs 1-3 crore to support initiatives that empower women and children in the state,” says Siddharth Shankar, Chairman of MMRT42.
The first edition of the Sisterhood Rickshaw Rally in 2025 saw around 70 women entrepreneurs from the UK take part. This year, Emma Sayle, founder of the Sisterhood Group, is bringing a fresh cohort to experience India. They will be visiting schools and projects supported by MMRT42 and MMLC7, and seeing firsthand where the funds are channelled.
“The focus is on contributing meaningfully to society. The Sisterhood Group raises funds in the UK and globally. Last year’s engagement was deeply positive and this year they have chosen to return and support our work once again. Each evening, they will halt at designated locations and we are coordinating with other Round Table chapters along the route to showcase projects from Chennai to Goa,” says Siddharth.
Founded in 2006, the Sisterhood Group UK has built its identity around combining challenge with charity. For Emma Sayle, the rally is as much about the internal journey as the physical one.
“Extreme challenges remove hierarchy and comfort zones. When women navigate uncertainty, fatigue and unfamiliar environments together, titles and backgrounds fade away. What remains is trust, mutual reliance and shared purpose. Adventure becomes an equaliser: transforming individual strength into collective resilience and creating bonds that last well beyond the challenge itself,” says Emma.
India, she adds, was a natural choice. “Its scale, diversity and the vital role women play at the grassroots level make it incredibly compelling. The rickshaw rally mirrors everyday life here. It’s local, demanding and symbolic of resilience. Partnering with organisations like MMRT42 and MMLC7 ensures that the funds raised translate into measurable impact. Through the Let’s Goa 2026 Rickshaw Rally, we want to go beyond fundraising, creating sustained change around women’s health, skilling and economic independence.”
For many participants, the rally also reshapes professional relationships. “Away from boardrooms and business titles, women connect as individuals, sharing vulnerability, values and lived experiences.
These shared moments often lead to long-term mentorship, collaboration and advocacy long after the rally ends. It’s about building a global support system rooted in empathy,” she adds. Donations for the rally can be made through the Sisterhood Rally 2026 online portal, with every contribution going towards strengthening projects.