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. 

SUCCESS STORY - COMMERCIAL PIGEON FARMING

There is a lot of talk about achieving success by raising poultry, goats or cattle.  However, the economic success of raising pigeons is rarely heard. Mrs. Renu Begum Mazumder, a member of Momtaz Self Help Group of Baghadahar Borjurai Gaon Panchayat under Block Mission Management Unit, Assam State Rural Livelihoods Mission has been able to establish a lucrative business by raising pigeons commercially.

The woman had no such place to raise cows, goats, chickens or ducks like others do in her village. So we gave her the idea to start pigeons raising commercially, which requires less space. Pigeons can be reared in any corner of the house or in the yard or in small places like roof or cornice. It is even possible to keep pigeons by hanging baskets on the roof. 

Raising pigeons is a lucrative business as one pair of pigeons gives birth to 12-13 pairs in just 12 months. There is a huge demand for pigeon meat in this region. Pigeon meat is also delicious and fortifying. There is no extra cost for keeping pigeons. Pigeons can be easily domesticated.

Commercial pigeon rearing does not require much money. Commercial pigeon rearing requires a capital of Rs 5,000 to Rs 10,000. She didn't have that much of money at that time when she started, so she borrowed money from her SHG. Her SHG used to collect weekly subscriptions and deposit them in their group and above all they also got government help of Rs. 25000 under Kanaklata Mahila Sabalikaran Yojona.

Initially she bought five pairs of pigeons. The pigeons give birth to babies, and when the babies grow up, they give birth to new babies. Thus the number of pigeons gradually increased. At present she has 25 pairs of pigeons in her farm. If we calculate the current market price, there are pigeons worth of rupees ten thousand or more in her farm.  Pigeons mainly eat peas, wheat, maize, barley, mustard, rice, paddy, pulses etc. which are found in abundance in everyone's house, especially in rural areas.

Excluding one-time expenses such as the cost of buying pigeons and building pigeons house, food and other expenses costs around Rs. 2000 per month on an average. The SHG women is getting 25 pairs of chicks per month from her 25 pairs of parent pigeon and she is selling at Rs. 450 per pairs, means these are being sold for 11,250 rupees (approx). Excluding monthly expenses, there is a a profit of Rs. 10,000 (approx). If you observe more, the profit will increase. If foreign racers and other improved breeds of pigeons are reared, the amount of profit will increase several times. Now her plan is to take an another loan of Rs.25,000 from her SHG so that she can buy improved breeds of pigeons and can build new houses for which they have already submitted a bank loan application.

SUCCESS STORY - SHEEP REARING AS A SUSTAINABLE LIVELIHOOD OPTION

Zahirun Nessa Barbhuiya, a member of Naziha Self Help Group of Baghadahar Borjurai Gaon Panchayat of village Berenga Pt- III under BMMU, Silchar development block, has become self-sufficient by sheep farming. Her financial situation was very bad before she joined ASRLM self-help group because her husband died early keeping three childrens on her and she was responsible for the family where she was the sole earner.

The idea for raising sheep came to her mind while visiting one of her relatives house and saw a sheep farm there and learnt that, raising sheep is a very lucrative business. She became interested in raising sheep. After that she takes a loan of Rs. 10000 from her SHG and bought two sheeps from them. The loan she repaid later.

At present she has 26 sheep in her farm. According to her, keeping sheep is very profitable as sheeps are less susceptible to diseases than goats. The food also takes relatively less. The food that the sheep eat while grazing in the fields meets their food needs. A sheep gives birth to 2/3 calves every 6/7 months.  When the child is one month old, the child is sold for 2-3 thousand rupees. This baby starts giving birth for the first time after 1 year of age. Later she gives birth every 6 months. This is a very lucrative business. Raising sheep requires less capital. But the benefits are much higher. 

She also regularly participates in free vaccination camps with her sheeps at the initiative of the BMMU Silchar. As a result, there is less ailment in her sheeps, especially in foot and mouth. This protects her against probable financial loss in the future.

Recently her self-help group have received Rs. 25,000 under Kananlata Mahila Sabalikaran Yojana and then gets another loan of Rs 1 lakh from Dena Bank, Silchar. She has already taken another loan of Rs 25,000 from her SHG and is thinking of expanding her business. She is planning to build a new scientific model house where she is planning to increase the number of her sheeps with improved breeds.

This is how Zahirun Nessa Barbhuiya, a member of Naziha Self Help Group, has become self-sufficient and now able to run her own family smoothly. She earns Rs 60,000-70,000 every year by selling sheep.

SUCCESS STORY - SUSTAINABLE LIVELIHOODS THROUGH NURSERY AND VERMICOMPOST BED RAISING

Constructions of new houses in rural areas, many people are planting saplings of various plants on their house’s roofs and backyards to enhance its beauty. As a result, the demand for tree saplings has increased these days. Taking this as an opportunity, Sadhana Roy, a member of Radha Gobinda Self Help Group of Ambicapur Gaon Panchayat under BMMU Silchar Development Block, Assam State Rural Livelihoods Mission has initiated a very small commercial nursery unit of Flowers, Herbs like Aloe Vera, Tulsi, Neem etc. and Fruit crop like Red Lady papaya etc. With income generation her initiative will also help in freeing the environment from the ill effects of climate change.

Seeing her initiative, BMMU officials advised her to raise her own Vermicompost bed. Considering the fact that, if she makes organic compost of her own then there is no need to buy from outside, which will save her money too. Vermicompost can be made at very low cost as Vermicompost requires rotten banana plant and at least 1 week of old cow dung which are easily available in rural area at very low cost. Also the lady gathered her own kitchen vegetable waste and collected from other members for the production of the compost. We trained her in Vermicompost making technology. 

The lady purchased a tarpaulin Vermicompost tanks from an e-commerce site. The tank she made ready with iron net frames on top to protect the worms from rats, lizards and birds. The money she spent, had borrowed from her SHG who have availed recently a grant of Rs. 25000 under Kanaklata Mahila Sabalikaran Yojana.

The first compost was ready within 60 days of release of 500 Gms of worms into the bed. They got more than 100 Kgs of compost in the first harvest. Now she is using the Vermicompost in her small nursery and she also sells it outside for 25 rupees per kg. The business that she started with only 500 grams of worms has grown to 2 kg today. Now she is also selling worm at Rs. 2 each.

She doesn't have to wait for a market for her produce because her customers are her own self help group members and others self help group members in her Gaon Panchayat. Meeting all the expenses the member is earning approx Rs. 5000 per month from her business. In this way she has become self-reliant and her income has also increased as a result her standard of living has improved too.