SUCCESS STORY – TEA STALL TO BRING FINANCIAL PROSPERITY

Starting a new business requires an opportunity, and the Covid19 pandemic has become an opportunity for one of our Self Help Group member, Smt. Rina Das. She is a member of Onkar Guru Self Help Group of Ghungoor Gaon Panchayat under Silchar Dev. Block.

Though the pandemic was very difficult for some people and for some people it was an opportunity to start something new. Smt. Rina Das's house is very close to the Cachar Cancer Hospital, Silchar and this hospital treats many cancer patients from Barak Valley and its surrounding state like Tripura, Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram etc. When the lockdown started, there were many patients admitted in the hospital and their attendant who were in difficulty eating and drinking as shops in the vicinity were closed. The lockdown was sudden and beyond people's imagination. Although it is normal in urban areas, the residents of suburbs and rural areas were facing more problems. She was very saddened to see the suffering of these people and she started making and selling tea and paratha etc. for them and sells around the hospital. Then gradually she wanted to make this is a way for her livelihood. Smt. Rina Das is a poor woman for whom running a tea shop was out of the dream but that dream came true as just before the lockdown her SHG had received a Community Investment Fund of Rs 50,000 from Assam State Rural Livelihoods Mission and she had borrowed Rs 20,000 and added another Rs 5,000 from her own savings and made a shop in the yard of her house with bamboo and tin.

The lady, who used to have a hard time with her family, now earns at least Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,500 from her own tea shop daily. She is living a happy life with her husband son and daughter. She is educating her children well also enrolled them in a music school a apart from their regular studies. Her husband, who previously had no permanent source of income, now helps his wife running her stall.

SUCCESS STORY – JUTE OFFICE FILE FOLDER

With the war against plastic intensifying across the valley, the BMMU Silchar has taken initiative to involve SHG members in producing eco-friendly products with jute materials since jute has become a popular choice against plastic. The concept not only aims at having jute as an effective alternative to plastic but also provides new livelihood opportunity for the SHG members in terms of making jute bag file folder etc.

Mrs. Bijoya Das, a womentrepreneur and a SHG members of Annapurna Self Help Group has also choosen the path to follow her aspirations to become self reliant. Mrs. Bijoya who once attended an entrepreneurship development program from RSETI Silchar learned making products with jute materials their like bag file folder etc. With her modest savings and taking loan from her SHG, she decided to go ahead with the idea of making jute file folder.

This eco friendly jute file folder can be used for corporate, academic, casual, personal and gift purpose. This beautifully handcrafter document file folder comes with A4 size. This amazing & eye catchy document folder has height of 35 centimeters and width of 27.5 centimeters. This file folder for documents has 4 inner pockets, 2 on the left and 2 on the right side. These Pockets can hold a bunch of documents. It also has one pen holder to hold your favorite pen. Outside material is made up from jute and inside material of this folder is made up smooth cloth. It has strong Velcro closure mechanism to hold your documents safely in place. The lady is selling this file folder at rupees 200 each keeping profit margin of 20% per folder. Initially she distributed one sample of her file folder at different offices and institutions. Soon after that many institutions and offices started placing orders with Mrs. Bijoya. After getting order she then presents a design to suit the respective budgets of each organization. If approved, the order is placed.

Considering the fact, if she receive order in bulk quantity it will be not possible for her to supply alone, so now she has started training to her co-members and even SHG members of other blocks to meet the possible bulk orders. In this way, as her own income increases also other women are getting livelihoods opportunity and when the big order arrives it can also be filled in time. In this way, she is becoming self-reliant and making other women self-reliant. Her jute folder is getting very good compliments. Encouraged by this, now Mrs. Bijoya came up with bamboo file folder and also making water hyacinth ladies bags, purses, etc. all of which are turning out well.

SUCCESS STORY - PICKLE MAKING

This is the story of Rita Nath and her transition from a simple woman to a successful entrepreneur. Rita Nath, hailing from Tarapur GP under Silchar Dev. Block started pickle making business from initial grant of ASRLM; her business has now reached a turnover of 50,000-60,000 thousand rupees annually. The demand for pickle made by Rita Nath is now in entire district. Now she engaged 3 more women of her group to make pickles with her. Rita Nath who was once limited to household work, now earns 5000-6000 thousand rupees every month sitting at home from her skills.

They make pickles from many things like mango, mushroom, chili, tomato etc. Apart from this business, they also make handicraft items which give them additional profits.

She learned the skills of making pickles from a training pertained by KVK Cachar. They never had any idea that her skills will take the form of a business. She says, "I used to make pickles to eat at home. Many people used to eat and praise it, so I thought I would make it and sell it."

She further adds, "Earlier pickles were made on a small scale, which was bought by people around us, but I have started making them on a large scale since after availed grant under Kanaklata Mahila Sabalikaran Yojana and a Bank Loan. 

Hundreds of women are doing many things in Tarapur GP after the intervention of BMMU Silchar Assam State Rural Livelihoods Mission like grocery shop, sewing shop, beauty parlor shop etc. While some women started different types of businesses which today are able to employ some more women into it, Rita Nath is one of them. Rita Nath joined Anandamoyee Self Help Group which came into NRLM fold in the year 2018. 

Rita Nath like women are now writing new stories of change today. Thousands of women have become successful entrepreneurs leaving their wages. Along with taking over the reins of their homes, they are employing other women. Today these women have become an example for millions of women in the country.

 

SUCCESS STORY - MAKING SILK THREAD JEWELRY AS A LIVELIHOODS OPPORTUNITY

In the trends of modern fashionable jewelry, the art of silk thread has its own separate identity. Silk Thread jewelry has now taken the place of gold and silver among College, University and office goers. From sari to top-jeans can be easily adapted. Easy to wear also there is no difficulty in taking care. In this life of haste, this jewelry seems to fit a lot.

This is the story of a housewife, a mother and an ASRLM Self Help Group member who has adopted this trend as a livelihoods opportunity. She is now successfully selling her art while inspiring others to follow her path. Mrs. Baby Pandit who is a member of Saraswati Self Help Group of Tupkhana Gaon Panchayat under BMMU Silchar, once completely occupied with her daily household works. But even the packed days and meeting every household work did not drive her away from her dream of making jewelry that would resemble traditional Indian designs, yet be much more inexpensive and light weight to wear and appeal to the audience.

Initially, she started designing bangles and necklace to match her own sarees for which she had received phenomenal response from her villagers. After a lot of experimentation, practice and research, she decided to take this to the next level.

Baby Pandit focuses on the unique selling point of her jewelry, which are customized and light weight designs. She tries her best to make her designs as innovative and exclusive. She creates the entire pieces single handed by wrapping fine quality silk threads around plastic moulds which she sources from wholesalers. The price is affordable. The price of necklace with earrings is from 150 to 1,500 rupees and the price of bangles made of Silk Thread is from 50 to 200 rupees. In addition to it, Mrs. Pandit makes cement flowerpot using towels or clothes which are extremely beautiful and alluring to look it. In this way Mrs. Pandit earns Rs. 5000-6000 per month, and the same exceeds Rs. 10,000 in season time.

Mrs. Pandit is a role model to the other women as a whole as she never let her dreams to die; she is not confined to four walls of her house. She has tried to redefine her life. Seeing her, the rest of her SHG members also get training from her and get involved in all these activities.